With the heat index rising across America this summer, people are striving to find ways to keep cool. Several cities in the country are already in triple digits and power companies are warning of black and brownouts looming. Many methods to stay cool are costly however. Here are ten tips to cool off and keep your electricity bill lower:
- Clean air filters! Dirty filters will slow air-flow. Individual and wall units should be cleaned monthly.
- Check all the seals around your house. Use weather-stripping and caulk to seal any leaks around doors and window frames that could be letting your cool air out.
- Hire a certified technician to inspect your HVAC. This should be done once a year to make sure your unit is at top-performance.
- Set your thermostat to allow higher temperatures during the day. Doing this can drastically lower your bill if you can stand a little more heat during the day.
- Use fans wisely. Fans can create a breeze and cool you off, but be sure to turn them off when you leave the room.
- Switch incandescent lightbulbs for florescent ones. Not only will this lower your energy bill, it will florescent bulbs generate less heat.
- Close your blinds. Blocking the sun will keep rooms cooler, making your air-conditioner have to work less.
- Limit the use of major appliances during peak heat times. Turning on the oven, dryer and dishwasher tend to make your air unit work harder to keep rooms cool. Also unplug smaller electronics when they are not in use. Even when they are not being used but are plugged in, they still generate heat and suck electricity.
- Shop around for your energy provider. If you live in a state where the electric industry is regulated you may not have a choice, but if you don’t be sure to compare prices between competitors.
- Have your bill fixed. Most utility companies have an option where you can fix your bill to pay the same amount every month to avoid spikes in cost during peak months. Many also offer time-of-use plans that charge less during off-peak hours than peak. Be sure to investigate these options fully to see which one (if any) will work for you.
