Summers in the Kansas City area are hot and humid, which causes people to turn their homes into A/C havens to get relief from the extreme temperatures. Unfortunately, this creates a spike in homeowners’ electricity bills. These homeowners will get their KCP&L bill every month, knowing that the sudden increase is likely due to cooling the home at the start of summer and throughout the following months. However, how do homeowners know if their air conditioning unit is operating at maximum efficiency?

Why Is My KCP&L Bill So High?

The initial step to lowering your energy bill is to determine why it is so high in the first place. Many aspects of the home can impact the amount of money you spend on electricity per month. For example, failure to properly seal certain areas, like entrances or windows, can cause cool air to seep out of the home. When this occurs, your air conditioning unit can be working properly, but it churns out more cool air because some of it is being lost to the outdoors.

You may also see an increase in your energy bill because your air conditioning unit is not working efficiently. If your air conditioning unit is old, it probably doesn’t run as well as it once did. The unit may also be faulty and in need of repairs, which means it is working extra hard to dispense the same amount of cool air.

If you have inspected your AC unit and found that it is not the source of your high electricity bills, there could be something else going on in your home. For example, there could be an issue with your refrigerator or laundry units.

How Do I Know If My A/C Unit is Working Efficiently?

The air conditioning efficiency of your home is under the influence of a variety of things. Problems can arise in the unit itself or could be the result of issues like poor insulation or doors and windows that are not well sealed.

Air conditioning units can fail, break down, or lose effectiveness for several reasons. You are most likely to run into issues with your AC unit if it has been used for over 12 years. The most obvious sign of a faulty air conditioning unit is if it simply fails to turn on. Many homeowners will run into this issue at the beginning of the summer when temperatures begin to rise. Other key signs that your AC unit is not in the best condition are as follows.

• Moisture or pooling water is evident around the AC unit
• The AC unit shuts off or turns on too frequently or not enough
• The unit is making odd noises
• Foul odor coming from the vents

If you hear odd noises coming from your AC until this could be as simple as a loose screw. Unfortunately, a defective fan or motor may be the cause of this noise as well. An HVAC technician will be able to determine the source of the noise properly and appropriately repair any glitches.

How Can You Lower the Cost of Air Conditioning in the Summer?

To lower the cost of air conditioning in the summer, you’ll first want to determine the cause of you’re your energy bill is so high. Make sure your attic, basement, and entryways are sealed so that air is not escaping from your home. Upgrading insulation and making sure entrances and windows will help keep the cool air inside your home.

Other steps you can take toward reducing energy are cleaning your air filters and replacing the batteries on the thermostat. If the temperatures outside are too intense, older systems may not function at full efficiency; it could be time to upgrade your unit.
HVAC companies get busy the first heat wave of the year, but Cates Heating and Cooling is dedicated to servicing our customers. We have 24-hour maintenance to make sure your family is comfortable even with the extreme heat in the summer. Call us today at 913-888-4470 if you’d like a free home efficiency audit and estimate on a new air conditioner.