7 Great Ways to Save Money on Your AC Bill This Summer!

Read our 7 simple ways to reduce cooling costs during the summertime. 

How to Save Money on Your Air Conditioning Bill

Did you know that you can reduce 20-50 percent of your energy bill by making the switch for a high-efficiency air conditioning unit? But if you’re not ready for a brand-new system, there are lots of little ways to help save some cash every month on your energy expenses.

The average American home spends an average $2,000 or more a year on energy bills. People often are looking for ways to save money and live better. Here are some tips that will help you lower your energy bills

1. Try to keep all the curtains and blinds closed:

Blocking sunlight from coming inside your home will alleviate and maintain constant, cool air flow. Having soft colors painted on your home’s walls is another trick that will help keep your air nice and chilly. Soft colors don’t attract as much sun as the darker ones.

Also, when leaving your house, make sure to turn off all the lights. While you are at home, try to keep your lighting to a minimum by turning them off if you are not using that room.

2. Clean your filter and do maintenance at least once a year:

Despite being the most straightforward problem to fix, clogged air filters are one of the most common causes of lower energy efficiency.  Keeping up with your air filters can help control and improve your unit’s performance.

Changing your air filters at least every three months will make a drastic change in your energy bills.

Besides changing the filters regularly, which can be done by yourself, you should have a professional maintenance service performed at least once a year.

It may seem like paying for a routine maintenance call is the opposite of saving money, but you might be surprised how much little inefficiencies can raise your electric bill. Of course, professional maintenance will also help you identify and prevent more expensive issues down the road as well. Think of it as an investment that’s almost guaranteed to net you a positive return.

3. Regulate the temperature during the day and at night

One of the most significant advances in HVAC technology in the last decade is the ability to control our home’s temperature while we are away. With a smart thermostat, you can set your temperature a little higher than normal while nobody is home and program it to cool back down to your desired setting by the time you get home.

Even if you don’t have a smart thermostat, you can still save money by controlling your home temperature while you’re away. Just set the thermostat to around 75 before you go to work and return it to about 72 when you get home.

As a general rule, you don’t want to go more than three degrees off of the home’s normal temperature. This is because the system will actually spend more energy cooling a home from 80 degrees back to 72 when you get home than it would have if it just maintained a temperature of 75 throughout the day.

4. Seal all your doors and windows

Checking for any cracks or gaps in windows and doors could help you keep all the cool air inside. Installing weather stripping around windows and doors will also prevent cool air from escaping your home.

5. Keep the air conditioning on 72 degrees

The ideal temperature to save energy is 72 degrees. For every degree that you raise the thermostat in the warm months, you will save 3 to 5 percent on your monthly bill.

Installing a programmable thermostat can help you maintain your scheduled performance. Setting up the times that you want your AC to adjust to a certain temperature throughout the day will decrease your bill.

If you install the thermostat, do not place it near lamps, appliances, or in direct sunlight. This technology is very sensitive to the heat and could cause the air conditioner to run longer.

6. Natural ventilation

Back in the day, when AC didn’t exist, people used to open all the windows and doors to let the air flow throughout the house.

Use natural ventilation when possible. Try to do this at night when there is a cool breeze that can stimulate your airflow inside.

7. Make sure you have the right size air conditioner for your home or business

If your system is too small for your home, it will have to run longer each time it kicks on to maintain your desired temperature.

On the other hand, if your system is too large, it will reach the desired temperature and shut off too fast. This is a problem because the system won’t run long enough to dehumidify the air properly. Having a system that’s just the right fit is ideal for both comfort and energy savings. Learn more about a great way to use a new WiFi thermostat to save even more money.