With summer right around the corner, people across the United States are making plans to soak up the sun and take advantage of the warmer weather. That said, no one wants to come home from a day of sunbathing at the beach to a swelteringly hot house. Homeowners who want to keep their families comfortably cool without spending a fortune need to start making plans now for how to save money on their monthly cooling bills. Read on to find a few tips that will help.
Upgrade the AC
The most obvious way for homeowners to save money on their monthly cooling bills is to upgrade aging air conditioning systems to more modern, energy-efficient alternatives. San Diego residents can learn more about energy efficiency and HVAC systems and find a local contractor that’s NATE and EPA-certified to help.
Inspect the Insulation
Already have an energy-efficient AC system but still paying too much on monthly bills? The next thing to check is the home’s insulation. Although a lot of people think of insulation as something that helps keep out the winter chill, it’s just as important for maintaining comfortably cool indoor temperatures during the hottest months. The best way to determine whether a home is sufficiently insulated is to perform an energy audit, but homeowners who don’t want to pay for a professional assessment can also conduct similar tests at home.
Use Ceiling Fans
A surprising number of Americans consider the ceiling fans already found in their homes to be antiquated holdovers from the days before the use of central air became ubiquitous. However, those ceiling fans can still be put to good use. The wind chill from a fan makes it feel up to seven degrees cooler using minimal power, allowing families to turn their thermostats up without having to worry about suffering in the heat.
Invest in Window Treatments
A good deal of the heat that enters a home comes in through the windows, even if they are closed, in the form of UV radiation. Investing in window treatments is a great way to stop that from happening. Homeowners have a range of options, including:
- Window film
- Blinds
- Heat-blocking curtains
- And others
- On cool nights, homeowners can still open their windows up to let in the cool breeze.
Change Daily Routines
Changing the times of day that people perform certain activities around the home can make a surprisingly large difference when it comes to cooling costs. Baking is one of the more obvious examples since ovens produce a lot of heat. However, ovens aren’t the only heat-producing appliances in the home. Stoves, dryers, and even dishwashers can also generate a lot of heat, so their use is best reserved for after the sun goes down.
Get Everyone on Board with Energy Savings
Maximizing monthly savings requires getting everyone on board. Homeowners and their families need to work together to keep their AC use low and monthly bills under control. Implement the simple tips above but don’t forget to schedule a family meeting so that everyone will be on the same page about how to follow them.