Has your air conditioning bill given you heart palpitations? Take a deep breath and do these things to lower that bill and save your money.
Seal the Envelope
You spend a lot of money on air conditioning and making your home feel comfortable, so you need to keep that air in the house.
Seal any crack you may have outside your home. Look for gaps around the windows, doors, hose bibs and any other protrusions. Use caulk that matches the home’s siding so you don’t have to worry about paint touch-ups.
Get Regular Tune-Ups
Hire heating, ventilation and air conditioning professionals to test your HVAC system and perform routine maintenance. They’ll make sure it’s performing at optimal efficiency.
Also, schedule bi-annual checkups — one for the air conditioner, just before summer; the other for the furnace, just before the fall. They will keep your system running efficiently, so you can save your money for other things!
Take Advantage of Renovations
Home renovations are a great opportunity to not just transform your home but also upgrade its energy efficiency.
Replace old, leaking doors with energy-efficient ones. If you’re replacing trim work, use the opportunity to caulk gaps just between removing old trim and installing new trim.
Some holes will require more than caulk, so purchase some expandable foam.
Bump up the Thermostat
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.
This may sound high, but if you turn on your ceiling fan, it will help cool you down.
Remember: Ceiling fans cool you; they don’t actually cool the room.
Also, check the ‘secret switch’ on the fan itself, right above the fan blades, so the fan rotates counterclockwise.
Relying more on the ceiling fan and less on the air conditioning will help you save your money.
Change Your Habits
Sometimes, the little things make all the difference! For instance, staying cool can be as easy as dressing cool. Wear short-sleeved shirts that are white, which reflects the sun, not dark. Wear shorts and sandals. In addition, close window coverings such as blinds and curtains on sunny days.
Measuring the Impact
The average, annual utility bill in America is $2,100. If you can change the thermostat, maintain your heating and cooling system, dress cool and change your habits, you can save 25% per month.
That’s an opportunity to save over $500 of your money, each year!
How do you lower the air conditioning bill? Tell us in the comments.
