Many people believe that it is expensive to keep their home cool during the summer. If you want to keep your home cool but you don’t want to spend too much to do so, there are a few things that you can do to reduce your energy cost. With a little bit of effort, you can keep your home cool at a lower cost than you may think. Below are a few money saving tips to get you started.
Energy Efficient Lighting
According to the DOE, about 10 percent of the average American’s electricity costs go toward lighting. To save on this cost, you should consider installing LED bulbs, solar lighting, or fluorescent lamps (CFLs). You can save up to 80 percent on your lighting costs by making these simple changes. Another benefit of changing the bulbs that you use is that they create less heat, therefore, reducing your cooling costs and your overall energy consumption.
Use The Grill Or The Microwave
If you cook all your meals indoors during the summer, it can increase the temperature inside the home. Cooking on top of the stove and in the oven can make it much warmer inside, therefore, your air conditioner would need to work harder. To keep it cooler in the home, you should cook your meals outdoors on the grill or in your microwave.
Install A Solar System
More and more homeowners are installing solar panels and systems on their home to save on their energy bills. A solar system allows you to use the energy from the sun to heat your water, light your home, and power your electrical appliances and devices. The best thing about solar energy is that it doesn’t emit harmful greenhouse gases that can get trapped in the atmosphere. Finally, solar energy is a renewable source of energy.
Windows And Window Treatments
Your windows and window treatments can help you save a good deal of money during the hot summer months. During the night, when the temperature cools down, you should leave your windows open. This will save you the cost of running your air conditioner all night. In the morning, you should close your windows and your blinds. This will keep the cool air trapped inside when it starts to get hot outside.
When it remains cool in the home, you won’t need to use your air conditioner as often, which would save you a great deal of money on your energy bills. When you choose the right window treatments, you can also save money. If you install awnings in your south facing windows, you can reduce the amount of heat that comes in by 65 percent. If it is a north facing window, you can reduce the heat coming into the home by up to 77 percent.
Since awnings don’t prevent hot air from leaking into the home and cool air leaking out, you should find any air leaks and use caulking or weather stripping to close them up. When choosing your awnings, you should choose those with eyelets or grommets. These are openings along the sides and the top of the awning, preventing the hot air from getting trapped around the window.
Air Conditioner
It is very important that your air conditioner system is always in perfect condition. This means having an A/C tune-up each year and having the necessary repairs made. If your system is not running as efficiently as it could, it will need to work harder to keep your home cool, costing your more money. Also, the dust should be cleaned from the registers to keep it working efficiently. The way you run your air conditioner during the summer also has a lot to do with how much you will spend on your cooling costs. When you are not at home, you should set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher. Since you are not there, you don’t need it to be extremely cool inside. According to the DOE, doing this can save up to 8 percent on your energy costs.
If you install ENERGY STAR ceiling fans in your home, you can turn your thermostat up 4 degrees and you won’t even notice a change in the temperature of the home. It is also a bad idea to turn your air conditioner up significantly to cool the house down quickly. It is much less expensive to let the cool air flow in slowly. Finally, to keep the thermostat from registering a higher temperature than it should, it is a good idea to keep heat generating appliances away from it, such as computers, lamps, and televisions.
Replace Your Heating System
If you have an outdated heating unit that is not working as efficiently as it should be, you should consider replacing it during the summer. A new, energy efficient heating system can save you a great deal of money during the winter. If you install your new system during the summer, you can take advantage of early installation savings and you will be ready when the winter comes.
Wear Light Clothing
During the summer, what you wear is important. Cotton clothing is best because it is breathable. The same is true with your sheets. When the temperature heats up outside, you should take off your flannel sheets and replace them with cotton ones. Cotton sheets will keep you cool in your bed.
Conclusion
The energy saving tips mentioned above will help lower your cooling costs without needing to sacrifice your comfort when you are in your home. It shouldn’t cost you a fortune to be comfortable in your home.
Better Home Heat Council provides resources for Lehigh Valley homeowners and businesses that aim to educate them about the benefits of heating a home with fuel oil. We cover topics that include its efficiency and effectiveness as a heat source. The Better Home Heat Council also provides resources on energy efficiency and the achieving the best ways to improve energy use in a home or business. This allows a reduction of their heating and cooling costs. We also support local oil companies in the Lehigh Valley that provide a range of services and products. Click here to connect with a professional home heating oil supplier in your area. Our oil dealers also provide heating and cooling system services such as heater and air conditioner tune-ups, professional maintenance, installations, and HVAC repair services which help keep energy costs low and your home will feel much more comfortable.
