When the weather turns warmer, you’ll likely find your air conditioner is running on a frequent basis. This type of constant AC will likely bump up your electricity bill. Ultimately, the air conditioning frequency can be a substantial financial burden, especially in the summer. In fact, a U.S. Department of Energy statistic shows that air conditioners account for six percent of the total amount of electricity produced in the U.S. This is a lot of energy usage from one household appliance!
If you’re not mindful of your electricity usage, your energy bill can be extremely high. Plus, this high bill also means you’re using a lot of energy and you may not be conserving energy as you could be. If you want to help your wallet and the environment at the same time, it’s important to learn how to save on electricity this summer.
10 Expert Ways to Reduce Your Bill
Ready to save money on your electricity bill and conserve energy? Here are ten expert ways to reduce your bill:
- Obtain regular maintenance on your AC: One of the best ways to help keep your electricity costs down is to get regular maintenance performed on your AC unit. If your air conditioner isn’t running right, this could be causing it to overwork and use more energy. This means your electricity bill will be higher.
- Use special shaded window screens: Install special shaded window screens on the sides of your home where the sun shines most. This will help keep the sun from coming into the home too much.
- Use ceiling fans: Just because you have air conditioning doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use your ceiling fans. Turn the fans on periodically to get airflow moving and keep rooms cool.
- Install a smart thermostat: Smart thermostats are excellent tools to use all the time. These technology-driven thermostats allow you to program your system and keep the temperature at a certain level, whether you’re home or not.
- Seal leaks in windows and doors: Hot air can fill rooms easily if you don’t have the proper weather stripping in place. Therefore, make sure you fill all open gaps in windows and doors to keep the heat out and cold air in.
- Limit certain kitchen appliance use: Using ovens and stoves in the summertime can create a lot of heat. Why not try grilling outdoors or using an air fryer instead?
- Use draperies in sun-filled rooms: The sun creates a lot of heat. With this in mind, you want to keep the sunshine out as much as possible and make sure you have draperies on sun-filled rooms you can close when it gets too sunny.
- Make sure your AC vents are clear: If your AC vents are blocked, they won’t do an effective job. Make sure all your AC vents are clear from draperies or furniture and the air is flowing freely.
- Turn off lights: You might think that lights don’t create a lot of heat, but that’s not the case! If you’re not using lights in a room, simply turn them off to save energy and prevent unnecessary heat.
- Shut off computers and other large electronics: Large electronics such as computers, printers, and copiers can generate a lot of electricity and even heat. Turn off these items when not in use, too.
