Warm weather has finally decided to show up, and as most of us plan our gardens, wash off our lawn furniture and start thinking about opening the pool, our cooling bills probably aren’t at the forefront of our concerns.
This is especially true when you consider that the typical options people think about in regards to saving money on energy bills involve big ticket items, such as new windows or a new HVAC system.
However there are many smaller (and cheaper!) changes you can easily make that can have a big impact on your wallet this summer!
- Blackout Curtains
Blackout curtains are an incredible way to save money on your cooling bill by blocking the sun’s heat from warming up the interior of your home.
Unlike years ago they now come in a wide variety of colors and patterns so you no longer have to settle for utility over style.
- Ceiling Fans
If you’re looking for a low cost way in which to cool larger spaces and continuously circulate air throughout rooms, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better option that installing ceiling fans.
Keeping the air within a room moving may not decrease the overall temperature but it does make it feel cooler, and thus considerably more comfortable.
- AC Tune-Up
If you live in a home with central air, getting regular tune ups is a fantastic idea as a variety of issues can regularly pop-up, from low Freon to blocked drains. Diagnosing problems early on can save thousands on breakages or complete system failures and many companies even have the option to subscribe to have an automatic yearly inspection completed.
- Programmable Thermostats
A fantastic option for all seasons of the year, installing a programmable thermostats provides a considerable degree of control throughout the day.
This way when you’re off to work, away for the weekend or in the middle of the night you can save a bit on energy costs by being a bit more conservative with your temperature setting.
- Change Your Filter
Dirty filters add unnecessary stress to an HVAC system, forcing it to work much harder than it should in order to move air through a clogged up filter.
Keep your system flowing smoothly by simple changing the filter at least once per seasons, or as recommended by your particular filter type.
- Open Windows When Possible
While there’s plenty of people who actually enjoy the hot weather and have no problem keeping their windows wide open all summer long, most us prefer our home a little less humid and definitely below 80 degrees.
However, even during the hottest months there is the occasional cooler night when the humidity drops alongside the temperature, providing a fantastic opportunity to give our cooling systems (and our bank account) a break.
On the nights, consider putting in a window fan, or even a stand alone fan next to the open window in order to more effectively pull the cooler air in from the outside.