Summer happens every year, and with it comes the unbearable heat that makes you want to crank up the AC. While it’s tempting to keep your home cool all day long, running your air conditioner constantly can quickly add up to a hefty energy bill.
Fortunately, there are several ways you can reduce your AC costs without sacrificing comfort or style. Whether you’re looking for simple tricks or more significant changes to your home setup, we’ve got you covered in this blog post on how to reduce your AC costs in the summer.
Let’s get you started!
Use a Programmable Thermostat
If your home is equipped with a central air conditioning system, you can save money on your energy bills by using a programmable thermostat. By programming the thermostat to raise the temperature when you are away from home or asleep, you can reduce the amount of time that your AC system needs to run.
In addition, make sure to set the thermostat at a higher temperature when you are home but no one is occupying the room for an extended period, such as during the day when everyone is at work or school. By making simple adjustments to your thermostat settings, you can minimize your cooling costs without sacrificing comfort.
Maintain Your AC
As the weather gets warmer, it’s important to make sure your AC is operating efficiently. There are a few things you can do to ensure your AC is running properly and keeping your home cool:
Regularly clean or replace air filters. This will help ensure that your AC unit isn’t working harder than it needs to. Check for leaks in the ductwork.
Leaks can cause your AC unit to work harder and waste energy. Have your AC unit serviced by a professional annually. This will help keep it operating at peak efficiency.
Keep Your Filters Clean
One of the most important things you can do to reduce your AC costs in the summer is to keep your filters clean. Dirty filters can block airflow and make your AC unit work harder, which uses more energy and drives up your costs.
Check your filters monthly and clean or replace them as needed. This is even true if you have a mobile air conditioner.
Use Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are an excellent way to reduce your AC costs in the summer. By circulating air in a room, ceiling fans make it feel cooler, allowing you to raise the thermostat on your AC unit. This can lead to significant savings on your energy bill.
In addition, ceiling fans are relatively inexpensive to purchase and operate. And, they can be used in conjunction with other energy-saving strategies, such as using window coverings to block out sunlight.
Keep Your Home Sealed
One of the best ways to reduce your AC costs in the summer is to keep your home sealed. This means making sure that all of your doors and windows are properly insulated and that there are no gaps or cracks where air can escape. You can also seal any openings to the outside, such as fireplace dampers, chimneys, and dryer vents.
By doing this, you’ll be able to keep the cool air inside your home and prevent hot air from coming in. Additionally, you can install awnings over your windows to shade them from the sun’s heat.
Use Curtains or Blinds
You can save on your air conditioning costs in the summer by using curtains or blinds. By blocking out the sun’s rays, you can keep your home cooler and reduce the amount of work your AC has to do. Curtains and blinds also help to insulate your home, so you’ll be able to keep the AC set at a higher temperature without feeling uncomfortable.
Cook Outside
When the weather is nice, take advantage of it and cook outside! This will help keep your house cooler since you won’t have the oven on. Plus, grilling always makes food taste better in my opinion. If you don’t have a grill, you can also cook on a camp stove or over a fire pit.
Use a Dehumidifier
If your home is prone to humidity, using a dehumidifier can help reduce your AC costs in the summer. Dehumidifiers work by removing moisture from the air, which can make your home feel cooler and more comfortable.
Using a dehumidifier can also help improve the efficiency of your AC unit. When there is less moisture in the air, your AC unit doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home. This can lead to lower energy bills and a longer AC lifespan.
Use Natural Ventilation
If your home is adequately insulated and shaded, you can often rely on natural ventilation to keep it cool in the summer. To take advantage of natural ventilation, open windows on opposite sides of the house to create a cross breeze. If it’s not windy outside, a fan placed in a window can help draw in cooler air.
In addition to reducing your AC costs, natural ventilation has several benefits. It can improve air quality by bringing fresh air into your home and circulating indoor air. Natural ventilation can also help reduce humidity levels inside your home, which can be particularly beneficial in humid climates.
Use Energy-efficient Appliances
Choose an ENERGY STAR® certified air conditioner. These units are up to 15% more efficient than standard models and can save you hundreds of dollars over the life of the appliance. Turn your thermostat up a few degrees.
Every degree you raise can save you about 3% on your cooling costs. So if you’re comfortable with a temperature of 78 degrees, raising it to 80 or 82 will make a big difference on your energy bill.
Learn Ways to Reduce Your AC Costs
Taking simple steps to reduce your AC costs can save you money and help the environment. Investing in a programmable thermostat, reducing your HVAC equipment usage, and maintaining your AC system regularly are all great ways to reduce AC costs. Save on your energy bill today by utilizing these tips!
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