BEN'S COOL TIPS THAT WILL KEEP YOUR AIR CONDITIONER BLOWING COLD WITHOUT BLOWING ALL OF YOUR CASH!

Since most of us spend more time outside doing yard work at least weekly, take this opportunity to spray down/wash off the outside compressor unit of your air conditioner system. It's simple to do, will take less than 2 minutes, and can really help your system work more efficiently (that means use less electricity = lower bills!!!). Make sure you flip the breaker switch on the unit (some of these switches are located near the unit, others are located indoors at the main breaker box) before you spray down the unit. Why? As a safety measure...since the A/C system operates on 220 volts and high amperage, you want to avoid any possible short caused by washing the system off with water. Even though the units are designed to weather the elements outdoors and are pretty well sealed, why take the chance? Especially if you've got an older unit, it just makes sense: Turn the electricity off before you wash off the outer surfaces of the outdoor compressor. Wait about 1
0 minutes to let the water fall away/dry up/evaporate, then turn the juice back on.

If you live in Texas, you're going to have a bunch of stuff blowing around (like cottonwood in the Dallas-Fort Worth area) and inevitably, it'll get sucked in to the outdoor compressor and clog the works up...so take the time to wash it off at least every-other-week in the spring/summer/fall. (You can thank me later.)

Change your filters at least once a month! Again, depending on how old (new) you're A/C system is will define where the filters are located. Older units have the filters contained in the big furnace located inside your home...newer units have the filters in an easier-to-access location–like on a wall down low or perhaps on the ceiling. They'll usually have thumb-screws or an easy to open up latch; the filters will be easiest to remove if the A/C is off. But they're actually easier to replace if the A/C is on, because the system will "suck" the filter back in to position (a nice tip to remember, especially if your filters are located in the ceiling).

You need to change the filters AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH and if you live in a particularly dusty area, or if you have pets that shed a lot...you might want to increase your change out schedule to every third week. Put it on the calendar if that's what it takes to remember, but do it! Dirty air filters will not only drive your sinuses crazy, they'll cause you're A/C system to work harder...which means higher electricity bills.

Watch your crack! I mean, check all of your doors and windows for cracks that allow the hot air in/cool air out! Visually inspect the door jams/window jams and if you can see any light coming through, that's the same as taking a match to $20 bills! Spend a few bucks over at Home Depot and get some caulk and door stripping and get to work. Many of the electric companies will come out to your house and do free energy audits...TXU has a great resource for consumers wanting to get the most bang for their electricity buck, a checklist of things that use the most juice and how you can maximize their performance while minimizing their impact on your wallet. For more information, click here and get to work tightening the energy belt around your home!

Cranking your A/C down to the coldest possible temperature won't make your home cool off any quicker. (It's the same faulty-logic that many of us use when we're waiting on an elevator and keep pressing the call button after it's already been pressed once. It's NOT gonna make the elevator get there any quicker!) An A/C system that's operating properly isn't going to cool off faster because you're pushing it to the max by turning the temp way down. In fact on systems that may have lower levels of coolant, you could backfire and cause the system to freeze up and you'll end up with warm air blowing out of the vents. Remember, air conditioners are designed to keep your home 20-25 degrees cooler than the temperature outdoors. So if it's 100 degrees outside, be grateful that it's only 80 degrees indoors. That's the price we pay for living in Texas. If you don't like it, I hear the rents are cheaper in Flint, Michigan.

Help your A/C system out: BUY A FAN! Ceiling fans do a great job of circulating the air (especially if you've got a second floor; remember that heat rises); simple oscillating [table] fans are even easier to get up-and-running, and they're relatively cheap.

Before you call out the A/C repairman, make sure the breakers haven't been "thrown." C'mon...this is Texas! You know how those power surges can zap your home at any moment; sometimes they'll cause the circuit breakers on your big appliances (like the A/C system!) trip. Locate the breaker switch for the A/C system in your breaker box and make sure it hasn't been tripped. Even if it looks okay, take my advice and turn it off and then back on. (Sometimes those switches are visually deceiving.) If your circuit breaker was the problem, this should fix it. If the switch "flips" off again, then your problem is bigger than you can fix and will require the assistance of a qualified A/C repairman. Do NOT try to force the switch to stay on, or you could create a potentially bigger problem and even cause an electrical fire. If the switch continues to trip, call the repairman at once.

Nugget 2:

I've practiced what I'm about to preach for years and am a huge advocate of my electricity provider's Average Billing program. From TXU's website, here how it works: