Higher energy demands during the hotter summer months can quickly burn a hole in your pocketbook. Increasing utility costs can cause people to scramble for strategies to reduce their bills while trying to stay cool in the sweltering heat. If you’re interested in learning some practical methods, read on to learn the best ways to save on energy costs during the summer.
Stay on Top of the Thermostat
When you are not at home, turn off your air conditioner or adjust the thermostat. You can save between 5 and 15% on your energy cost by keeping your house warmer while you are away. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically set periods to cool your home and turn it off at night.
Naturally Cool Down Your Home
The less you can depend on your AC to beat the heat, the lower your energy bills will be. You can do things like keeping your kitchen nice and cool by cooking earlier or later in the day and closing windows, and by covering windows with blackout curtains. You should also make sure all doors get shut when they’re not being used to funnel the cooler air into one room at a time.
Switch To LED Bulbs
If you use incandescent bulbs, now is a fantastic time to replace them with LED lights. Incandescent bulbs only turn about 10% to 15% of the electricity they use into light, and the rest becomes waste heat. Comparatively, LED lights consume 75% less energy, last 25 times longer, and are substantially cooler to operate than standard incandescent lights. While they can be a bit pricier at first, the energy savings will more than pay for themselves.
Invest in a Dehumidifier
Although a dehumidifier will not lower the room’s temperature, it will help manage the sticky, heavy air that can make a hot day unbearable. Because humidity slows the pace that sweat evaporates off our bodies, we tend to feel considerably warmer and sweatier. Adding a dehumidifier can help make it feel cooler and more comfortable inside your home.
By using some of the best ways to save on energy costs during the summer, you’ll start to notice the lower energy bills. The more you try, the more you’ll save.