During the summer months, it’s customary to turn the AC up as a reprieve from the rising temperatures of the outdoors. However, if you’re not carefully monitoring the electricity usage, your summer bills can easily skyrocket to astronomically high numbers. In order to beat the high summer bills and maintain a comfortable living environment, consider the following tips.
1. Invest in a Programmable Thermostat
A programmable thermostat is incredibly effective for those who plan to spend a considerable amount of time outside of the home. When you’re in the office for eight hours of the day, you don’t need the AC running at full blast. However, manually changing the thermostat on a consistent basis will only cause the bill to rise. Instead, a programmable thermostat helps to place your AC on a predictable schedule. This also leads to saving energy and money at the end of the month.
2. Hang Blackout Curtains
The sun is a powerful source of heat. It’s pretty apparent when you’re enjoying the sun rays at the beach, but it’s also effective in heating up a room. During the summer months, it’s counterproductive for the sun to heat up an indoor room when you’re running the AC. To allow the HVAC system to run without exerting more energy, hang blackout curtains in each room. The blackout curtains absorb the heat from the sun perfectly. If you need to enjoy some sunlight throughout the day, it’s easy to pull them back. However, try not to open the windows at certain times of the day in order to avoid the room-heating impact.
3. Replace the Air Filters
Air filters collect all of the allergens and dirt that can float through the air and cause breathing issues. The dirt might not be apparent after a week of use. However, after three months, the air filter gets pretty full. Knowing this, it’s best to replace them every three months (90 days). A seasonal change of the air filters is most appropriate. When you don’t replace the air filter in a timely fashion, the HVAC system is forced to work harder to push air through the dirt and dust. When the HVAC system works harder and exerts more energy, this causes the bills to rise. Replacing the air filters is an easy solution to make sure the bills stay as low as possible.
4. Use Larger Appliances During Off-Peak Hours
Larger appliances like the washing machine, stove, and dryer use up a lot of energy. As many of these appliances rely on electric power, it’s better to use them in the recommended off-peak hours. The off-peak hours tend to be the late night hours or the early morning hours. This requires a shift in your schedule because it’s not always convenient to remember to run the dishwasher in the moments before you head to bed. However, this one small shift in scheduling your appliance usage can lead to a lower utility bill at the end of each month. Let the dishwasher get completely full before you run in. Wait until you have enough white clothes to bleach and do a load of white laundry. Practicing the art of waiting and scheduling can go a long way in the case of beating high summer bills.
5. Consider Energy-Saving Tools
Energy-saving tools like lightbulbs and appliances can be helpful in the interim. Look for ways to include solar power in your everyday usage. If you like the spend time outside on a well-lit patio, install solar-powered lights that will light up the outdoors without electric power. Use surge protectors in each room. Line up the appliances in a specific way so they can all connect to one surge protector. At the end of the day, unplug the surge protectors in order to avoid exerting unnecessary energy. This process also allows you to save money in the long run.
Including Professional Assistance
As you apply these tips to your home habits, know that they’ll serve you throughout the year as well. It’s also important to be mindful of how well your home’s services and products are working. If you need AC maintenance or servicing, include professional assistance in order to ensure your home’s bills remain as low as possible. When you use the services of Queen City Heating & Cooling, you’ll be able to rest assured that your home’s maintenance is in great shape. We are proud to provide heating, cooling, and air quality services to the entire Springfield, MO, region. We also offer water heater installation and repair. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
