Surprisingly Easy Ways to Lower Your Summer Air Conditioning Costs

How to reduce your electric bill in the summer is a hot topic that can make a big difference to the cost of running your New Jersey home this summer.
Summer is upon us, which means the temperatures are quickly soaring. This, of course, can lead to an increase in electric bills. However, there are steps you can take to decrease the cost of cooling your home this summer.

Your Electric Bill: The Cost of Air Conditioning in the Summer

Korky Vann reports for the Hartford Courant that, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, Americans spend over $22 billion a year in electricity costs to run air conditioning in order to cool their homes.

It is likely that for many Americans, their air conditioning systems are working harder than they need, costing homeowners significant amounts in unnecessary electricity bills.

3 Tips that Will Help You to Reduce Your Electric Bill This Summer

There are many myths around cooling your home and how to properly use and look after your HVAC units. Here are three surprising tips that you may not have thought of, which help to reduce your electric bill during the hot summer months, save you money and lengthen the life of your unit.

1. Keep the Air Vents in Your Home Open

Adam Dachis writes for Life Hacker to debunk the myth around air vents. Some believe that closing air vents helps your home to retain the cool air that your air conditioner works hard to create; however, the opposite is actually true. Proper ventilation promotes better air flow throughout the home, which helps your air conditioner cool your home more efficiently.
Often, homeowners may not realize that the air vents are actually closed or covered in their home. It is certainly worth checking your air vents to ensure that everyone in your home enjoys proper air circulation.

2. Open the Windows When It Gets Cooler in the Evening

Opening the windows may seem to be contradictory when it comes to saving air conditioning costs in the summer. When the temperatures cool down in the evenings, it’s important to let the warm air out (especially if you’re running appliances throughout the day).

Turning your AC off during the cooler hours of the evening and opening the windows instead can reduce how hard your air conditioner has to work throughout the day, when you most need the cooling of your unit.

3. Seal Up the Cracks in Your Home

Sealing leaks can reduce your energy costs by 15 to 30%, according to Consumer Reports. Your air conditioner simply does not need to work as hard when your home efficiently makes use of the cooling your air conditioner releases. This means that it really does pay to take time out and make sure that your home doesn’t have cracks…keep the drafts out and the AC in.

Prepare Your Home and Keep Cool for Less This Summer

Use these tips to help your air conditioner work optimally while reducing your electric bills this summer.For more pro tips on how to cool your home this summer, visit our site at Lawes Heating and Cooling today.