As the temperatures rise, take preventative actions to cut down on your cooling bills. Whether you own or rent, the following 5 tips will make sure you won’t encounter a high energy costs this summer.
1.Ceiling fans or similar circulating fans
Using fans will make you feel 6 to 7 degrees cooker by taking advantage of the wind-chill effect. That means the fan isn’t just cooling a space, it simply creates a more pleasant area. A spokesman for the Alliance to Save Energy, Ronnie Kweller, who promotes global energy-conservation leadership mentioned that you want to turn the fan off if no one is around to enjoy it. If you don’t, you consume excess electricity. If you gather the help of an air conditioner as well, a ceiling fan assists to disperse chilled air more effectively and lets you increase the thermostat by a whopping 4 degrees, showing little to no differences.
2. Operate your AC more cost-effectively.
Christina Kielich, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Energy, explains a way to readily reduce your summer cooling costs by 10%: running your AC as much as is you need to be comfortable while employing a programmable thermostat to raise the heat when you’re not in the house, or asleep. Remember that the closer the temperature is between the inside and the outside during the summer season, the more you’ll save.
3. Review your cooling systems.
It’s not sufficient to run an adequate AC system with a programmable thermostat. When you don’t correctly service your equipment, it will affect the cost of cooling. Dirty AC filters require units to work harder to cool your house by blocking airflow. Cleaning and servicing filters at least once a month can reduce your AC’s power expenditure by 5% to 15%. If you use a central cooling arrangement, make sure that the floor vents aren’t hindered by dust—or furniture. A unit’s condenser and evaporator coils (placed outdoors) needs to get cleared of dirt and other refuse (branches, fallen leaves and grass).
4. Try to stop heat from building up in the day.
Kielich recommends grilling food outside or microwaving, draping clothes on a clothesline and cleaning dishes by hand to avoid activities that generate a lot of heat when your home is hotter inside than the temperature outside. Additionally, when you bathe or shower while it’s hot outside, always use the bathroom vent fan to discharge extra humidity and heat from your home. By avoiding simple things, you’ll save more money on cooling costs.
5. Shut your curtains, shades and blinds.
Whatever you use, you’ll notice significant gains if you try to avoid the solar heat by closing them during heat waves. When fully lowered and closed on a sunshiny window, extremely reflective blinds will decrease heat accumulation by roughly 45%, Kielich notes. Instead, try light-colored options. The brighter the shade, the more they divert the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Put shades as nearby to window panes as you can, as this allows them to prevent outdoor heat from shining inside as well. Think about obtaining reflective or insulated shades, which can save you money come summer.