Stay Cool While Spending Less
Summer months can bring some of the highest energy costs of the year with the high demand for air conditioning. Keeping your home comfortable can be expensive.
To help your home be more energy efficient, Follow these tips for energy efficiency this summer:
- Update your insulation. This will keep cool air in your home and hot air out. You can add more insulation on top of existing insulation in your attic. Research the type of insulation you should use.
- Ventilate the attic. When the outside temperature is in the 90s, your attic can easily reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Adequately sized vents or an attic fan can help keep hot air from building up.
- Prepare the air conditioner. Shut off the power to the unit before cleaning it. Wash or vacuum cleanable filters on the inside and replace disposable ones. Clear leaves and other debris away from the condensing unit outside of any accumulated dirt. It is a good idea to call a professional to inspect your unit early in the summer.
- Use a smart or programmable thermostat. Leave it at a higher temperature while you’re away, and set it to cool the house half an hour before you return home.
- Install awnings over windows exposed to direct sunlight.
- Consider installing ceiling fans. On moderately warm days, a ceiling fan may be enough to keep you comfortable. On warmer days, you can decrease your air conditioner use by using a fan.
Even in summer, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort to stay within your budget. Here are a few easily achieved cost-saving tips:
- Turn your thermostat up a few degrees and use ceiling fans to keep you cool. Remember, fans don't cool the room, so turn them off when you leave.
- Avoid unnecessary trips in and out of the house. Heat and humidity come in each time you open the door.
- Keep the sun out of your house. Close blinds, shades, or draperies during the hottest part of the day. Consider planting fast-growing trees and shrubs near your home, but away from power lines to provide shade.
- Set heat-producing devices away from the air conditioner thermostat. Heat from the lamp could cause the thermostat to read higher temperature and keep the air conditioner running more than necessary.