The Impact of Solar Panels on Your Air Conditioning Efficiency

The Impact of Solar Panels on Your Air Conditioning Efficiency

Solar energy has become a significant player in the renewable energy landscape, allowing homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint and lower their energy bills. Among the many household appliances that can benefit from solar power, air conditioning systems stand out due to their substantial energy consumption, especially during peak summer months. Let’s explore ways solar power can reduce cooling expenses and options for making your air conditioning as efficient as possible.

How Solar Panels Power Your Home’s Air Conditioning

Solar panels, or photovoltaic (PV) panels, convert sunlight into electricity. This process involves semiconductor materials, typically silicon, that release electrons when exposed to sunlight, creating an electric current. The electricity generated by solar panels is direct current (DC), which is then converted to alternating current (AC) via an inverter, making it usable for household appliances, including air conditioning systems.

Any solar power your home doesn’t use immediately can be sent back into the grid. In California, most utility companies offer net metering, which gives you credit for excess solar electricity. According to the California Public Utilities Commission, net metering can significantly offset your electricity costs by allowing you to “bank” your excess solar energy for future use.

Alternatively, you can invest in a solar battery storage system. However, these systems can be expensive to install, and maintenance costs are high because the batteries have a limited lifetime. It’s essential to weigh the benefits and costs of including battery storage in your solar setup. According to the US Department of Energy, solar panels will almost always pay for themselves within six to 10 years due to the savings on electricity bills. Solar batteries, on the other hand, often last only five to 15 years. This means that you may not always recoup the full amount you paid to install them unless your solar panels and battery storage are large enough to fully meet your electricity needs, eliminating reliance on the grid.

Without a solar battery bank, you will only be able to use the electricity from your solar panels during the day and only on fully sunny or partially cloudy days. Nonetheless, a sufficiently large solar system should be able to almost or entirely power your air conditioning during the hottest parts of the day when it runs the most.

It’s important to note that the power from the solar panels won’t be directly sent to your cooling system but will flow wherever it’s needed in your home. For instance, if you do laundry on a hot day, the electricity needed to run your washer and dryer in addition to your air conditioner’s power needs may exceed the amount produced by your solar system. In this case, your home’s electrical system would draw power from the municipal grid to make up the difference. Despite this, you can still significantly reduce the electricity costs of cooling your home. A professional can perform an energy audit to help you determine the solar system size needed to reduce your cooling costs significantly and assess if this option is viable for your property.

Does Solar Power Make a Difference in AC Efficiency?

Another thing to be aware of if you’re considering running your air conditioning off solar power is that it will make zero difference in how efficiently your cooling system works. Although you may have heard or read claims to the contrary, they simply aren’t true.

Energy efficiency for air conditioners is measured by the SEER2 (seasonal energy efficiency ratio 2) rating, which indicates how much electricity an air conditioner uses to cool your home. The source of the electricity, whether from solar panels or the grid, does not affect the AC’s efficiency. Electricity is electricity, regardless of its origin.

Even though solar panels can’t improve the efficiency of your air conditioning, the fact that they can save you so much money makes them one of the best-performing investments you can make in your house. This is especially true if you have a heat pump instead of a standard central air conditioner. In this case, you’ll also be able to use your solar system to offset much of the power used to heat your home during the winter months.

Effective Options for Improving AC Efficiency and Lowering Energy Costs

In addition to installing solar panels, there are many other ways to reduce your monthly cooling costs. One of the best is to change your air conditioner’s filter when necessary.

Dirty filters restrict the airflow to your cooling system, making it work harder and increasing the electricity it uses to keep your home comfortable. On hot days, a dirty air filter can also make your AC system less capable of keeping your home as cool as you want and cause a host of other issues. Experts suggest changing your filter at least every three months. However, you may need to change yours more often than recommended based on factors such as if you have pets and how many people live in your household. Many homeowners inspect their cooling system’s filter monthly to ensure they know when to replace them.

Hiring an HVAC company to inspect and service your air conditioning system at the start of each spring or summer will also significantly improve its efficiency. Regular maintenance ensures that your cooling system operates at its optimal performance level. For instance, cleaning the evaporator and condenser coils is crucial since dirty coils reduce the system’s ability to cool your home and increase energy consumption. During maintenance, a technician will also perform essential tasks such as checking and tightening electrical connections, lubricating moving parts, inspecting the condensate drain, and measuring refrigerant levels. These tasks enhance efficiency, extend the unit’s lifespan, and prevent costly breakdowns. The US Department of Energy suggests that regular maintenance can lead to a 15% reduction in energy use.

Replacing an old air conditioner or heat pump with a new high-efficiency unit is a great investment that provides numerous benefits. A new unit lowers your energy bills and ensures consistent cooling. Modern air conditioners are significantly more energy-efficient than those made just 10 years ago. According to Energy.gov, replacing a unit from the early 2000s with a modern one can reduce energy consumption by 20% to 50%. This improvement is due to technological advancements, such as variable-speed motors that provide precision temperature control and higher energy efficiency ratings. If you install solar panels, the improved efficiency of the new unit will help you save even more so that your solar power system pays for itself faster.

Contact the Professionals

Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air has served the residents of Loomis, CA and the surrounding areas since 1976. We install, repair, and maintain heating and cooling systems. In addition, we are expert plumbers who provide water treatment, drain cleaning, and sewer repair services. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced team members.

How to Keep Your Plumbing in Top Shape for Summer

How to Keep Your Plumbing in Top Shape for Summer

Summer is here, which means your home is likely seeing a lot more traffic these days. Kids are off from school, friends might be visiting from out of town, and you’ll probably be hosting some barbecues and other get-togethers. This increased activity can put more of a strain on your home’s plumbing system, especially if you like to spend a lot of time outside. Not only will you likely have to wash more clothing that gets dirty from outdoor activities, but you’ll also be using a lot of water to take care of your lawn or keep a swimming pool full.

Since your home’s plumbing system is more complicated than you might think, you need to know how to keep it in good shape for the summer. While we will always recommend contacting a plumbing professional if you have any issues with your pipes, here are some tips.

1. Be Careful of What You Put Down Your Drains

You might think that whatever goes down your drains is out of sight and out of mind, but that is not the case. Certain materials such as grease, hair, and expandable foods such as pasta and rice can form nasty clogs that are nearly impossible to clear without the help of a plumber.

Never assume that something should go down your drain just because it can. If you have a lot of hair going down your shower drain or your bathroom sink, place a mesh cover over your drains to catch hair and other materials that could form a clog. The same goes for your kitchen sink when it comes to rice, pasta, eggshells, and stringy vegetables. If you have a lot of grease left over from cooking, pour it into a glass jar. You might be able to bring it to your local recycling center later.

2. Be Careful What You Flush

Just as you should be careful what you rinse down your drains, you should be careful what you flush. As a rule, the only things you should ever flush are water, human waste, and toilet paper. Anything else should be thrown in the trash, even “flushable” wipes and other cleaning products.

3. Use Chemical Drain Cleaners Sparingly

Even if you are careful with your drains, clogs can happen. When they do, you might be tempted to go to the store and buy a chemical drain cleaner to clear them out. Drain cleaners may seem to work, but they should be used sparingly. The caustic ingredients in these products will eat away at the grease and hair plugging up your pipes, but they will also eat away at the pipes themselves and leave you with even more plumbing problems.

If you must use a chemical drain cleaner to clear a clog, do so only when other options have failed. These other options include using a plunger, a plastic drain cleaning tool, or a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Chemical drain cleaners should only be used a few times a year at the most. If you think you need to use them more often and nothing else seems to work, call a plumber. Chances are that you have bigger problems that require a professional’s services.

4. Examine Your Exposed Pipes

Leaks can be difficult to detect in your home, which is why finding them should be left to a professional plumbing service. This doesn’t mean you can’t still complete an inspection on your own, however. Check the exposed pipes in your basement, under your sinks, or wherever you might have them in your home. If they are leaking due to loose joints or holes, contact a plumber to have them fixed. Trying to fix them yourself could make things worse.

5. Check Your Sprinklers

Sprinklers can use a lot of water, especially when they’re not in good shape. Before you water your lawn this summer, check all of your sprinkler heads to make sure they’re in good condition. If they are broken, rusty, loose, or otherwise damaged, see if you can get them replaced. Most stores that sell sprinklers sell replacement heads, so go back to where you bought your sprinklers and shop around.

6. Test Your Outdoor Faucets

Speaking of sprinklers, you’ll need to make sure that your outdoor faucets are in good shape since they are prone to freezing in the winter. If you winterized your faucets in the fall, you should be in good shape, but you should still test your faucets anyway. Open the valve to your outdoor faucets slowly at the beginning of the summer and turn on the faucets themselves. The water should flow from them freely with plenty of pressure. If the pressure seems low, you might have a leak somewhere. Contact a plumbing service to find and fix it.

7. Test Your Sump Pump

Your sump pump will remove water from your basement if it floods during a severe summer storm but only if it’s working properly. To test it, make sure it’s plugged in and turn it on. Pour a bucket of water into the sump where the pump is located. It should activate and send the water out of your home. This test should be completed regularly, preferably at the beginning of the summer and especially if you think you’ll be getting a lot of rain.

8. Know How to Shut Off Your Water

If you do have a plumbing emergency in your home, you will need to shut off your water. Your toilet and other plumbing fixtures will have their own shutoff valves, but you need to know where your home’s main shutoff valve is located. This valve is often located in the basement or crawlspace, but it could also be outside on an exterior wall or even in your yard away from your house. It depends on your home’s construction, so make sure you can find it and get to it if you have a plumbing emergency.

Contact Crystal Blue Plumbing for Assistance

If you suspect that you have a plumbing problem, don’t hesitate to contact us at Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air for assistance. We are a certified plumbing and HVAC service that serves homes in Sacramento, CA and the surrounding area, and we are dedicated to keeping your home safe, dry, and comfortable throughout the year. Some of the plumbing services we offer include pipe replacement, leak detection, sewer services, and sump pump repair. Our plumbers go above and beyond to meet our customers’ needs, and we have been given the Best of the Best award nine years in a row. We have also been given the Business Excellence Award by the Rocklin Chamber of Commerce for our services.

For more information about our plumbing services or if you need a plumber for your home, contact Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air today. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have.