For most of the country, February means that winter is still very much at it’s most potent.
Where I live, we’re far enough south to see February as the end of winter and a transition over to spring.
I walked out of my home where the heat pump has been silent to find pollen covering my car. This is my cue to start getting real about the coming heat season. Heat and humidity aren’t relegated to the traditional summer months around here. In fact, as soon as mid March, I’m hearing some of the heat pumps in the neighborhood stay on during the day. We tend to wait longer so we get a bit more accustomed to the higher temperatures. But for sure, we’re popping the air conditioning on here and there in late May. By June, the heat pump is providing air conditioning night and day. So it’s this part of the year that I like to get myself more prepared when it comes to saving on air conditioning. After getting the air conditioning tune up, I think having a very tight seal on your home is the most important part of any HVAC cost savings strategy. I know that I make sure that I’m replacing worn weather stripping every year. The sun just does a total number on that stuff. And it’s essential to keeping the house tight. I also cruise around the exterior of my home to be sure that I’m sealing up any gaps as well. Once the house is sealed up tight, I just make sure that I keep the shades drawn during the day. And of course, maintaining thermostat discipline is essential as well. But having a tight home is essential to keep the air conditioning costs lower.