By: Cheaper utility bills | posted in Compare gas and electricity prices, News & Stories |
Date: April 14th, 2012
Do you know how much you spend on electricity during fall and spring seasons? Does your electricity bill change during summer? This is probably because you are not doing enough efforts to reduce your electricity consumptions. In warmer months the main reason for the rise in electricity cost is air conditioner.
A lot of people face this dilemma and more often it poses a big problem if you are working on a low budget. Even though your electricity bill tend to rise in the summer, the following are some tips to keep the cost minimal.
Tips to Save Money from Your Electricity during summer
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Avoid setting your air conditioner less than 78 degrees. This may mean it would indeed be a hot summer for you but it is low enough to keep you cool without succumbing to summer heat. A lot of people go for 72 degrees or lower.
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Replace air conditioner (AC) filter. The dirtier the AC filters are, the harder it is to ensure smooth air flow and this cause the air conditioner work much harder. This will result into an inefficient cooling system that will increase your electric consumption and your electric bills. Therefore, you need to replace the AC filter at least once every one or three months.
Place blinds or curtains on some of your windows. Some windows tend to get exposed to the sun than other windows. These windows need some cover like blinds or curtains to minimize heat absorption within your home.
- Make use of whole house fan. Many people tend to ignore the usefulness of whole house fan or ceiling fans, thinking that it works only in specific climates. While this may be true, many areas complement the use of whole house fan. It is basically like an exhaust fan to suck out the hot air from your home to the attic. So instead of switching your air conditioner, you just have to leave your windows open to let in the breeze.
- Stay in your basement. If you have a basement in your home, you could stay there instead of turning on your air conditioner. It is safe to assume that the basement has a cooler temperature compared to the rest of your house because of the limited exposure to the sun’s scorching heat. If you stay in your basement, you can leave your air conditioner off or set it at higher temperature than you usually do.
However, if you go lower than 78 degrees, you can expect a significant rise in your electric bill. It might be for your best interest if you use a programmable thermostat to set the temperature while you’re gone for work or sleep. The programmable thermostat will switch the air conditioner on just before you get home and turn it off again when the temperature has cooled down when you are off asleep.
These are some of the tips for you to lower your electricity bills during summer unless you are fine with paying large amounts on utility bill alone. These tips will help reduce your electric consumption thus saving money on electric bill during summer.
More tips on how to save money on electricity bills.
If you have more great ideas on how to save money on your electricity bills over the summer months, leave us your comment below.
By: Cheaper utility bills
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Perfect tips to conserve energy. Let me add another one, Stay outdoors with the whole family like going to parks os do some picnic adventure instead of staying at home and let your kids use their gadgets like cellphones, computers, etc.
- Blake
Some windows tend to get exposed to the sun than other windows. These windows need some cover like blinds or curtains to minimize heat absorption within your home.
Considering the current economic situation, some readers may still be in need of help with a utility bill even after applying a whole bunch of energy-saving tips. For those in an emergency or hardship situation there is LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) that will pay a portion of a power or fuel bill based on eligibilty. And when you look up LIHEAP, most states will have Weatherization Programs, which provide funds for things like weather sealing and adding insulation. Also there are frequently energy efficiency education programs linked to LIHEAP and Weatherization that offer even more tips like those above.