Energy Saving Strategies for Summer

When the temperatures rise during the summer so does the electric bill. Having your air conditioner running all the time can really rack up the costs when the bill comes. But there are a number of things you can do to keep that energy bill low and your home comfortable.

Raise The Thermostat Temperature

The first way to save money is pretty obvious – raise the temperature the thermostat is set at. For every degree you raise your thermostat, you’ll save 3-7% on your electric bill. Ideally your thermostat should be set at 78 or higher for the most savings.

Control Your Thermostat Properly

Speaking of thermostats, programming it to turn off when you aren’t home, and turn back on a half hour before is going to amount to a large energy savings. Your air conditioner doesn’t have to work too hard to cool the home down from say 87* to 80* before you come home. And Air conditioners are more efficient when they run at “full speed”, versus turning on and off for short periods to maintain a temperature.

Keep Excess Heat Our Of Your Home

The next way is by closing drapes, curtains, or blinds during the day. No, you don’t have to live in darkness. Instead, focus on closing the ones on the eastern side of the house in the morning, southern in midday, and western in the afternoon. This will cut down on the amount of direct sunlight entering your home through the windows which can really heat a home up.

Move Air Around Your Home

While a fan won’t have an impact on the temperature of your home but it will make the air feel cooler by disturbing the microclimate around you. The air just above your skins surface is warm and has a great deal to do with how you perceive the temperature of a room. When the fan is on it will blow away that warm air and create a wind chill effect, making you feel cooler.

Water Heater Energy Savings

Lower the temperature of your tank-style water heater. Your water heater uses a lot of energy to heat up all that liquid. By lowering the temperature on it you’re going to cut back on that energy quite a bit. And in the summer you can shower comfortably in water that isn’t as hot as it is during the winter.

By using these simple tips you can help keep your summer power bills down while staying comfortable. For more energy saving tips and HVAC information be sure to follow the Brody Pennell blog.