As the weather warms, everyone is getting geared up to spend more time in the sun. As a homeowner, one of the downfalls of summertime is the high electric bills, thanks to your home cooling system. Fortunately, there are some easy things you can do to help save money on your energy bills this summer season.
Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat
The benefits of having a smart thermostat will outweigh the initial upfront cost. A smart thermostat allows you to control your home’s temperature from the convenience of your smartphone. You can change the temperature from anywhere you have internet connectivity. Even better, smart thermostats are easily programmable.
You can set different desired temperatures depending on the day of the week and the time of the day. This freedom will allow you to lower your energy usage by allowing the temperature in your home to be hotter when no one is there. A smart thermostat will even suggest ideal settings to help you save more money on your utility bills. It will even remind you when it’s time to change out your system’s air filter so you’re getting optimal efficiency from your air conditioning system.
Use Your Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans consume much less energy than your cooling system when operating simultaneously. They are a great addition to decreasing your cooling system usage. Turn your fans to spin counterclockwise throughout the hot summer months.
Ceiling fans will force air down onto you. This “wind chill” effect can quickly cool down your body and make you feel as if the room is up to 10 degrees cooler than it is. When you feel cooler, you can get away with setting your thermostat at a much higher temperature, which means lower energy bills for your wallet.
Use Your Curtains Wisely
If you’ve ever sat out in the hot sun, you know that direct sunlight can warm you up very quickly. The same thing happens with the air inside your home. Whenever a glass door or window allows direct sunlight to seep into a room, it can cause the temperature to increase up to 15 degrees. When this happens, your air conditioning system must constantly combat the natural sunlight throughout the day.
Since you don’t want skyrocketing energy bills because of the daytime competition between the sunlight and your cooling system, it only makes sense to block out that sunlight. Using curtains over glass doors and windows to block out direct sunlight in your home is a very cheap way to help keep the temperature comfortable. Your cooling system will thank you, as it won’t have to work as hard to maintain an adequate temperature throughout your home.
Insulate Your Heart Out
The doors, windows, and other openings that connect your home’s inside rooms with the outdoors are all potential places for air leakage. In the summertime, warm air can seep through these leaks and make your cooling system work in overdrive to keep your home at your desired temperature. A house that has doors, windows, and other openings that aren’t sealed isn’t good news for anyone.
You should take the time to assess these entry points for prospective air leaks. You can use weatherstripping and caulking to help eliminate these leaks and seal off your home from the outside. The better your barrier is from the inside of your home to the great outdoors, the more cool air you’ll be able to keep inside. A properly sealed home will mean your cooling system will be able to run less often and still be able to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature for you and your family.
Use Your Exhaust Fans Regularly
Exhaust fans should be installed in all bathrooms and kitchens. The idea is to help steam find its way to the outside of your home instead of being stuck inside. When you don’t use your exhaust fans, that steam lingers around and creates an uncomfortable environment.
Excess humidity in the air means that the room will feel much hotter than it is. High humidity can cause you to turn down the temperature on your thermostat because you’re uncomfortable, which triggers your cooling system to kick on. While your cooling system will remove moisture from the air, it can only do so much. Using your exhaust fan religiously is a great way to help keep excess humidity out of your home and allow your cooling system to run less.
Turn Your Water Heater Down
In the summertime, you likely enjoy showering and even washing dishes in cooler water than in the wintertime. For this reason, it doesn’t make sense to have your water heater running at a relatively hot temperature when you don’t need your water to be that hot.
Do yourself a favor and turn down the temperature on your water heater during the summer months. A good rule of thumb is typically setting your temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Since your water heater won’t have to run as much to heat up to a higher setting, you can enjoy energy savings throughout the summer months.
Air Dry Clothes
Another excellent method to help save money in summer is to air-dry your clothes. Air drying doesn’t take much effort and can give you great results. Simply install a clothesline and get to hanging. You’ll love not only the energy you’ll be saving by not running your dryer but also the energy you’ll be saving by your cooling system not having to run to combat the heat created by your dryer.
Opt For Outdoor Cooking
Running your stove or range during the summer can feel much hotter than in the winter. Not only will your kitchen become uncomfortable, but you’ll also be spending money on your air conditioning system to cool your home back down afterward. Instead of going through that hassle, simply opt to cook outdoors. An outside grill or firepit can be a great way to prepare hot meals without unnecessarily heating the inside of your home. Even opting for cold meals can save you money on your energy bills.
Play around With Your Thermostat Settings
It can be very easy to set one temperature on your thermostat at the beginning of summer and never touch it again until fall. This method is a big mistake. You should regularly play around with raising the temperature on your thermostat. Raising the temperature by one degree can allow you to reap around 8 percent energy savings. Your family won’t likely even notice the extra degree.
Trustworthy AC Service
Green Dot Heating & Air provides trustworthy Wilmington, NC, community air conditioning service. We can also help with your heating, indoor air quality, ductless mini-split, and ductwork needs. We offer a Comfort Club maintenance plan to help keep your heating and cooling running all year. We offer an extended warranty and financing on approved credit. Contact us today to schedule your next service appointment with one of our highly skilled HVAC technicians.
