5 Ways to Reduce Your Energy Bill This Summer
When it comes to summertime, three things are guaranteed: more sun, warmer temperatures, and increased energy bills. Why? Your home’s air conditioner runs on electricity, and with the warmer temperatures, homeowners look to keep their homes at a relatively cool temperature in order to stay cool throughout the summer. This leads to increased consumption of electricity and a higher energy bill.
The summer also means families are traveling more for fun activities with the family. From theme parks to beaches, camping trips to visiting relatives, you can use your money saved from reducing your energy bill to help alleviate the financial strains the summer brings. So, how you can reduce your energy bill this summer? Below, we’ve listed five ways to help you save some cash.
Summer Energy Saving Tips
1. Cook and Bake Quickly
For many home chefs, cooking is not only a necessity, but a hobby—baking too! But, using your stovetop or oven for extended periods of time can cause your air conditioner to run when it doesn’t need to. How? Cooking and baking causes the temperature and humidity in your home to rise, leading to your air conditioning system to compensate for the increase in heat.
To help reduce your energy bill this summer, consider using a microwave or toaster oven to cook small meals and sides. Microwaves use approximately 2/3 the energy of a stove and eliminate the need for your cooling system to run when it is not needed.
2. Raise the Thermostat
Did you know that raising your thermostat one degree can save you 3 – 5 percent on your energy bill? Consider raising your thermostat a degree or two, or five during the summer! Doing so results in more limited cooling time and reduced electrical consumption.
Don’t want to raise your thermostat above its current setting? One solution is increasing your thermostat whenever you leave the house for long periods of time (more than five hours). When you’re at work your air conditioner is working to keep an empty house cool—and wasting energy. Raise your thermostat before leaving for work (or install an automatic thermostat to program this setting) and lower the thermostat when you return home.
3. Use Windows to Circulate Cool Air
Nothing helps reduce your energy bills during the summer more than taking advantage of your home’s windows. If you live in an area that cools off at night—like our hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania—open windows on each side of your home to generate a cross-breeze when temperatures drop. This will give a cooling affect and reduce the temperatures inside your home, causing your air conditioner to run less often and reduce your energy bill.
4. Use Ceiling Fans to Cool Your Home
Some homeowners only use ceiling fans as a décor item, often not using their ceiling fans for months or years at a time. Instead of using a ceiling fan as a dust collector, use it as a way to reduce your summer energy bills.
Combining a ceiling fan with your central air conditioning system means you can raise your thermostat four degrees without feeling any change in comfort!
5. Replace Air Conditioner Filters
The filter in your air conditioner can become dirty or clogged, restricting air flow and your air conditioner’s energy efficiency. To reduce your energy bills this summer, replace your air filters every 30 – 45 days.
Air Conditioning Contractor in Scranton & Wilkes-Barre, PA
T.E. Spall & Son is northeastern Pennsylvania’s trusted air conditioning contractor in the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, PA areas. We’ve helped homeowners efficiently cool their homes throughout the summer for over 20 years. Contact us today to schedule:
