It's Almost Summer: 5 AC Tips For This Year's Heat

The summer season is rapidly approaching, which means most homes throughout the country will be forced to keep their air conditioner running for several months straight. While the warmer weather is a welcome sight for most people, it also means that you will be paying a high utility bill each month this summer. Luckily, there are several great ways that you can cut down on your electric bill without having to live in an unbearably hot home all summer. These are the five best ways to beat the heat this summer without breaking the bank on your monthly utility bills.


Get a Programmable Thermostat 

A programmable thermostat is a great investment because it helps you limit your energy usage at the right times. There is absolutely no reason to spend a lot of money on air conditioning for times when you are not home. A programmable thermostat will raise the temperatures of your home while you are work, and then it will drop back down to your desired temperature when you are scheduled to get home. While you can do this with any thermostat, it is much easier to achieve with a programmable thermostat.


Properly Maintain Your Air Conditioner 

Your air conditioner has to be in good working order if you want to properly cool your home this summer. The best way to make sure that your air conditioner is working to its maximum capability is by removing any debris around the unit and regularly changing the air filters each month. It may also be a good idea to get your air condition unit checked out and serviced before the hot temperatures arrive.


Protect Your Home from Sunlight 

The best way to keep your home cool during the summer is by keeping the sun out of the house. Direct sunlight coming through the windows is going to drastically increase the temperature inside the house. Planting trees or shrubbery in front of your windows outside is a great way to make your look great while also keeping out the hot sun rays. You can also install window films for even more sun protection.


Avoid Cooking Long Meals 

It is impossible to go all summer without cooking in your kitchen, but you should try to keep your cooking times as short as possible. Cooking a big meal for a few hours on the stove and in the oven is just going to add a lot of extra heat in the home, which will force your air conditioner to work even harder to maintain your desired temperature. Using pressure cookers, slow cookers and toaster ovens to make your meals instead of the oven and stove will help you drastically cut down your energy bill this summer. Cooking on a grill on weekends is also a great idea to avoid bringing any extra heat in the home.


Use Fans to Circulate Air 

You should use fans as much as possible during the summer to cut down on your energy bills each month. The fans will not help cool down the house much, but they will help circulate the air throughout the house. Since there are only a select number of air vents in your home, it takes some time for the whole house to cool. Using fans to circulate the air cuts down this cooling time, which allows your AC unit to run a lot less than normal.

Author bio:

Charlie Teschner started MESA Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling in 1982. Charlie has a journeyman and master plumber’s license. He was raised with a strong work ethic and he now applies those values to tasks such as Longmont, CO heating repair.