How to Cut Your Summer AC Costs

As temperatures begin to rise, so do your home’s utility bills. Most homeowners see their utility bills skyrocket in the summer months, especially those homeowners that live in southern states. Living in warm climates usually doesn’t give the option to go without an air conditioner and solely use other sources of cool air. This being said, there are a few things you can do to help reduce the cost of running your AC unit this summer.

1. Use your ceiling fans. Ceiling fans keep your air circulating and generate a nice breeze in your home. Make sure you have your ceiling fans spinning in the right direction to force cold air down.
2. There is no need to have your thermostat set 70 degrees. Instead opt for 73-76 degrees. Those range of temps along with your ceiling fans should work out nicely.
3. If you have an old thermostat, change to a new digital thermostat. Digital thermostats are much more accurate at reading your home’s temperature and can be programmed to go to higher temps when no one is at home.
4. Check all of your windows and doors to make sure there is no airflow leaving your home. If you have leaky windows then you’re cold air is leaving as soon as it is pumped into your home. You have a few options to alleviate the problem, either try fixing them by caulking all of your windows and doors or buy new weather stripping. The other option is to buy new energy efficient replacement windows. You can save up to 30% each month on your utility bills by replacing your old windows with new ones. New windows will not only save you money, but you can actually recoup your money in just a few years.
5. Have an AC contractor come out to your home to perform an annual check up on your unit. A good cleaning and the fixing of minor repairs can cut the stress from your AC unit, not forcing it to work as hard and saving you money on your bills.

As we head into the heat of spring and into those burning summer days, it’s time to start thinking about your home’s utility bills now. Acting now can save you big over the next 7 months. If you would like to find a local Dallas Fort Worth, Texas AC contractor or a replacement window contractor check out our directory today.