Save Hundreds on Your Cooling Bill This Summer, Part 2

Last time we started a two-part series on saving on cooling costs.  Here are five additional ideas:

• Keep the heat out – Obviously you can save a lot by keeping the heat out of your house – but how can you do this?  Keep out daytime sun with blinds or shades.  Blinds with a white or neutral backing color reflect sunlight and can be found in most paint, department and drapery stores.  Insulate your attic and under the house’s crawl space.  Add inexpensive gaskets under all light switch and receptacle plates to prevent air from entering your house.  Use exterior shading devices or deciduous plants to shade your home and windows from the sun. And be sure to turn off your furnace pilot light during the non-heating season.  There’s no need for it and it helps to heat your house.
• Keep cool air in – Just like you’ve worked to keep the hot air out, you need to keep the cool air in the house.  Use kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans sparingly as they can blow away a house full of cooled air in an hour.  Don’t let your kids leave the doors open and limit the number of in and out trips.  Finally, make sure all windows are closed tightly throughout the house.
• Use your thermostat as a weapon – Set your air conditioner thermostat as high as you can and still feel reasonably comfortable.  An air conditioner set for about 78 degrees Fahrenheit should be cool enough to keep you comfortable, and it will use nearly 40% less power than an a/c. set to 72.  Don't set the thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner.  It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.  Don't place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat as the thermostat senses heat from these and will cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
• Get the right air conditioner – getting an air conditioner that’s just the right size can save you thousands over the years.  An air conditioner that's too big for the area cooled will perform less efficiently than a smaller properly sized unit. This is because units work better if they run for relatively long periods of time than if they are continually, switching off and on. Longer run times allow air conditioners to maintain a more constant room temperature and also allows them to remove a larger amount of moisture from the air, which lowers humidity and, more importantly, makes you feel more comfortable.  Bigger units will cool more quickly, but will run shorter in doing so, actually costing you more money.
• A few extras – Be sure to dress appropriately for the warmer indoor temperatures.  And remember that body heat is lost through the head, so do away with long hair, hair spray and 'updos' for the summer. Keep your hair short and freely moving to allow heat to escape.  Finally, drink water, not soft drinks or iced tea, and never alcoholic beverages, when the temperature rises to keep as cool as possible.

Not only will these save you hundreds of dollars this summer, but most of these tips will save you as much next winter as they help to keep the cool air out and the warm air in.

Comments

[Josh]

Another tip: If you want to use your thermostat as a weapon, invest in a programmable thermostat! There's no need to heat/cool the house [much] when you're not there. :-)

[FMF]

Josh --

Good point! Thanks for adding it and for stopping by.

FMF