Cool Your House for Less This Summer

Summer in Texas can be brutal. We’ve already had several 100+ degree days in the Dallas area, and this is only the first week of summer. If this keeps up, your electric bill could easily double or triple by August. There are some very simple ways to keep your house cool without overheating your budget this summer.

Keep your compressor and filters clean. My husband cleaned our a/c filter this weekend and I actually had to bump the thermostat up a degree or two. The house was freezing. I had no idea how effective a clean filter could be. You also want to check the unit outside your home and be sure it’s clean from dirt and leaves. That will help your compressor (the part that actually cools your home) operate more efficiently.

Program your thermostat and keep it there. Adjusting the thermostat makes your a/c work harder, which requires more electricity. Program your thermostat for lower temperatures when people are home and warmer temperatures when nobody is home. Energy companies typically recommend setting the thermostat at 78 degrees when people are home. Every degree below that will increase your electric bill by about 5 percent to 7 percent.

Turn on your fans. It costs about a penny an hour to keep your fans running. That’s a small price to pay to keep cool air circulating through your home. You don’t need them on when the home is empty, but they are a cheap way to lower the temperature in your home without raising the electric bill much.

Close the vents in unused rooms. If you have a guest room or other rooms that rarely get used, close the doors and the a/c vents. That helps redistribute more cool air to the rooms used frequently.

Cook with slow cookers and convection ovens. If you’ve ever stood cooking at a stove for any length of time, you know how much heat it gives off. Use cooler, alternate cooking methods during the summer months, like slow cookers and convection ovens. Better yet, take advantage of the inexpensive produce available in the summer and prepare more salads and sandwiches.

Use energy efficient light bulbs. Lights add heat to your home. Replace the high energy light bulbs in your home with energy efficient bulbs, and be sure everyone turns off the lights they aren’t using. It will make a big difference.

Close blinds and drapes. Are there certain times of the day when the sun shines in your windows for long periods of time? Close your blinds and drapes during those times. You’ll be amazed at how much cooler your home stays.

When it comes to being energy efficient, use common sense. Figure out what puts out heat in your home and find a way to reduce usage during the summer months. Being just a little sensible will save you a lot of dollars and cents.