Summer is just around the corner and that means our electric bills are going to rise with the heat. Below are some tips for reducing your AC bill.
1. Draw the window shades
It’s a simple, but brilliant concept. Closing your shades will block a large amount of sunlight that would otherwise directly enter and heat up your home. If you prefer to have some natural light then turn the shades open just enough to not let the sunshine hit directly the floors or walls inside.
2. Use a Ceiling Fan
Ceiling fans do not work by cooling the air, but by moving the air around and making us think that it feels cooler. Oscillating fans box fans are even more effective in creating the feeling of cooler air.
3. Lighten up the bedding
If you like the AC cold when you are asleep, then don’t use the same bed comforter that you do in the winter. Try sleeping with a light blanket or just a bed sheet so that you aren’t surrounded by your own body heat
4. Use Your thermostat’s AC program
If you have a programmable thermostat, review the settings make sure your house isn’t trying to cool when no one is there. Opinions vary, but we say that 80 degrees is a good place to start when the house is vacant. At 80 degrees the house will still be able to cool down in a reasonable amount of time when you get home. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, be sure to change the settings before you leave the house.
5. Change the Air Filter
In the summer your air conditioner is running a maximum capacity. This means that more air than normal is passing through the air filter and bringing dirt and dust with it. As the filter collects more dust, your ac system performance goes down. Make sure to check your air filter at least monthly.
