The groundhogs in Philadelphia sure have a way of welcoming an extension to winter, but here in sunny California, its become almost tradition for us to expect another long hot summer before the roses even bloom in spring. Because the sunnier days mean bigger electric bills for most of us. Running your AC will definitely help you stay cool, but what helps your bills from getting too hot?

Aside from the obvious solution - getting a solar electrical system installed so you can run on solar power, there are also alternative and while milder, still great ways to get energy efficient.

Lets start with the AC unit itself. First, understand that your central AC and air source heat pumps are rated according to seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER). The rating of your current unit can pretty much tell you how efficient it is. Our Senior Solar Engineer, Bruce Purdy, highly recommends that you replace your AC unit if its over 10-12 years old. A 16 SEER rating is the highest being the 3rd Tier according to the CEE (Consortium for Energy Efficiency) but can save you money during the hot summer days. Your utility company might even offer incentives for you to upgrade to such equipment.

More information can be read on the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy’s website - www.aceee.org or click this LINK to be redirected to their Efficent Home Cooling page.

Also, if you’d like to verify your current equipment’s rating and look into future potential upgrades, you can check them online at the CEE’s Directory of Verified Equipment

We here at Solar Electrical Systems pride ourselves for being more than just an installer, designer, engineer, or provider of solar power - we are also advocates of green living and ambasassdors to all the things man can do to live cleaner and more efficiently. The fears and doubts of costly systems need only apply to people who wish to limit themselves on what they can and can’t do to their homes or lifestyles. If you can’t afford a system or don’t have the physical capacity to hold one, start small first - by checking your AC/heater system to see if its the most efficient it can be. Then also dial in on your usage and patterns to see if you can conserve more. Maintain clean coils for your AC unit and try to chance the filters at least once every 3 months.

Not only will you breathe better, you’ll save money, you’ll save energy, and you’ll save the planet. That’s the way to do it!