How to Save Money on Utilities in the Summer

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When warm weather comes along you probably don’t realize just how much money goes into keeping the heat at bay. To help you out, we’ve put together a few tips to help you lower your utility bill while keeping your home cool for the summer. Follow these nine tips for lowering your utility bill in the warm season.

1. Unplug devices and turn off the lights

Unplug devices you don’t use. If that sounds like too much of a hassle, invest in a Smart Strip. It shuts off power to devices when they aren’t in use. Remember to turn the lights off. Lights heat up space, and keeping them on adds extra degrees that then need to be cooled by your AC system.

2. Rotate your ceiling fans counter-clockwise

Warm air rises towards your ceiling. Keep it there by rotating your fans counter-clockwise. This keeps warm air out of your way and sends waves of cool air downwards, giving your AC and its energy consumption a break.

3. Close doors and vents

Close off cold air supply to the rooms you aren’t spending your time in, be that just for the evening or for the entire season. There is no need to cool your basement or storage if you don’t spend any time there. Conserve that energy and redirect it to rooms you actually do spend your time in, such as the living room.

4. Get your AC inspected

Don’t forget to run maintenance checks on your AC and vents. Proper functionality lowers energy consumption and saves your pocket. Check your filters and make sure you are using the clean and correct ones for your system. Ask a professional to recommend what’s best for your home cooling system.

5. Use your thermostat wisely

Play around with the thermostat to find the optimal cool temperature, but make sure to turn the AC off when you leave the house. You will notice a favorable change in your utility bill.

6. Close the blinds

To conserve on AC use and keep all that coolness in, close the shutters to keep the sunlight away from heating your rooms, especially when you leave the house. That way when you’re back inside you don’t have to invest a lot of electricity into blasting the AC.

7. Bypass your appliances

Using kitchen appliances, such as an oven, adds to your electricity bill in two ways. One is obvious: it needs electricity to run. The second way is something you probably don’t think about often when using your oven. It heats up the space and your air conditioner needs to work harder to cool the area down. This is the same reason why you should avoid using the dryer in the summer, and instead opt out for a drying rack if possible.

8. Insulate

Conserve the cold air inside your apartment. You can do this by insulating. Check for leaky spots all along your window and door frames - you don’t want that precious cold air escaping. Instead, you need to create the effect of a sealed cooler, so try to close off any gaps you find.

9. Do your chores at night

Some power companies might up-charge for day-time electricity use in order to keep electricity use rates at lower levels. In addition, running your appliances during the day warms up the house and adds to the sun heating it, causing your AC to overexert itself. Save your air conditioner and your utility bill by doing chores later in the day.

Do you have any tips for cutting down utility bill costs during the summer? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram.