We have already had some HOT summer days in Southwest Missouri. If you’re like us, you probably have the AC cranked ready for a higher electric bill. Did you know you can cool your home comfortably without sending your summer electric bills sky high? Here are our top 10 tips to help lower your electric bill this summer!
#1 Make sure your home is well insulated.
If your home is not sealed up tight, you are just pumping cool air (and money) right out the window. One of the most important steps in making your home more energy efficient is checking for leaks. Feel around electrical sockets, light switches, doors, windows and baseboards for leaks. If you feel air escaping, use caulking or foam to seal it up. Caulking and weather stripping are both simple and effective air-sealing techniques. The most comprehensive option is to hire an inspector to do a blower door test and identify all leaks throughout your house.
#2 Give your air conditioner a break.
Turn your AC off when you don’t need it. If you’re leaving the house or expecting a cool night, click off the thermostat. It will also help if you raise the temperature a few degrees. For every degree the thermostat is raised, 4% to 8% can be saved on cooling costs. Some thermostats can do this for you! Programmable thermostats allow you to program what hours your home will be vacant and when you will be asleep. During those times, it will adjust the temperature accordingly, so you don’t have to worry about it. Nest, a leader in the programmable thermostat industry, claims that their product can lower electricity bills by 20%.
#4 Clean your AC vents and units.
Maintaining your AC unit helps it run effectively and efficiently. The more dirt and grime, the harder it has to work. Cleaning and replacing the filters is one of the most important things you can do to help your AC unit. Dirty filters block the normal airflow and significantly reduce the system’s efficiency.
#3 Use your ceiling fans.
Although ceiling fans won’t reduce the temperature of a room, they will help keep the temperature down by circulating cool. Using fans along with your air conditioning unit will actually help you consume less energy than you would by constantly adjusting the thermostat. Keep the fans off in rooms that aren’t being used though. If left on, those fans would be wasting energy.
#5 Close your window coverings.
Natural light is a glorious thing in the summertime; However, letting in all of the light also brings in the heat. Those blinds and drapes aren’t just there for looks. Put them to use! Close your blinds and you can reduce heat gain by up to 45%. And closing your drapes can reduce heat gain by about 33%. If you live in a climate that has cooler days or cools down at night, take advantage of the fresh air and open up your windows when you can. The less work your air conditioner has to do, the better!
Need new window coverings? Click here to find Your Home Decorating Resource Library.
#6 Switch to energy efficient appliances.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a list of ENERGY STAR products that are named the Most Efficient of 2020. If you see the ENERGY STAR label, you know that product has positive EPA energy efficiency ratings, but there are other energy efficient appliances out there, too. According to ENERGY STAR, an ENERGY STAR certified home is about 10% more efficient than the average home. AN ENERGY STAR certified air conditioner uses about 15% less energy than non-certified models. Energy efficient appliances will help lower your electric bill all year long.
#7 Unplug your electronics.
Don’t just turn off your electronics, unplug them! Most people think that when you turn something off, it stops pulling power. That’s not the case. Anytime something is plugged in, it’s consuming power, whether you’re using it or not. One easy way to save money is to unplug your electronic devices from the wall when you’re not using them. If you want to make it easy on yourself, you can get a Smart Strip surge protector that can automatically cut off all power when you don’t need it.
#8 Buy new and improved light bulbs.
Upgrade your light bulbs to a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) or an LED. Each new CFL bulb can save you around $50 throughout the bulb’s life span. These energy efficient bulbs have longer life spans than the old fluorescent bulbs and emit less heat energy – another way to keep your home cool and lower your electric bill in the summer!
#9 Fire up the grill instead of the oven.
There’s something about grilling burgers and hot dogs that makes it feel like summer! Not only does grilling bring great food, and often great company, it will also help you lower your electric bill. How? The grill isn’t pulling energy like the oven would. Plus, all of the heat it’s producing is outside your home, not working against your air conditioning. The microwave and toaster oven are also good options to cook your food without consuming too much electrical energy.
#10 Maximize shade with greenery around your home.
Your landscaping can actually help lower your energy bills along with boosting the curb appeal of your home. The less your home is exposed to direct sunlight, the easier it will be to keep it cool in the summer heat. Planting shrubs and trees around your home will do two things: provide shade and absorb some heat. Not only will this shade help cool the inside of your home, but it might also make it more enticing to spend some time outside in the yard.
Summertime doesn’t have to bring higher utility bills. Put a few of these energy-saving tips in place, and you should see lower electric bills for the remainder of the summer.
Save energy. Save money. And stay cool out there!
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