As the weather get hotter this summer, your home energy bill only gets higher. Fortunately, there are several clever ways to save electricity and lower your monthly utilities costs. You don’t even have to break a sweat. Here are five things you can start doing today for immediate results.
1. Put the AC on Probation
There’s nothing better than coming in from the baking sun and parking yourself next to the air conditioner. However, setting your AC to a higher temperature can save you money. Your house will still feel significantly cooler than the outdoors even if you sacrifice five degrees, and you’ll put a dent in your energy costs.
Here’s another cool thing happens when you raise the thermostat: your body adjusts more quickly to the heat, which means the outdoors won’t feel quite so hot. You will be comfortable inside and outside the house. It’s a win-win situation.
2. Use a Fan
Circulating air helps your body cool down by helping your sweat evaporate. For best results, place a fan between two open windows on opposite walls for an enhanced cross-breeze.
3. Ditch the Clothes Drier
Summer doesn’t always mean you have to spend more. In fact, there are many ways this season helps you spend less. The sunny skies and long, hot days of summer are perfect for drying clothes without a drier. Clothes driers can create a huge strain on your electricity bill. As long as the air temperature is warm and there is decent air circulation, your clothes will dry at absolutely no cost.
4. Take Colder Showers
Whether your water heater is powered by gas or electricity, summer gives you a great opportunity to scrimp on another regular expense. In the summer, you don’t need your shower to be quite so hot, so set the temperature a bit lower.
5. Window Shades are Your Friends
Using window shades effectively can drastically cool your house with absolutely no electrical input. Make note of which windows transmit the most sun throughout the day. Install light-blocking window shades or heavy fabric curtains over your windows. Close the shades that get the most sun to avoid heating the air, walls and floor of your house.
Hint: You can reverse this trick for free heating during cold winter months.
These tricks are cheap and easy to implement and require very little up-front expenses. Whether you are energy-conscious or simply wish to cut back on household bills, try implementing these methods and see how much you can lower your utility bills during the hot summer months.