5 Tips for Efficiently Cooling Your Home During the Summer

Summer is basically a synonym for fun, vacation time, and pure relaxation. Unfortunately, summers also cause a spike in energy usage. If you’d like to lower your electricity bill (who wouldn’t?), here are a few simple steps you can take.

Run an energy audit to check for air leaks.

Cracks in window seals, worn out doors and a poorly insulated attic can allow cool air to leak outside, forcing your air conditioner to work harder. Conduct an energy audit by standing outside your home and running your hand along windows and doors. If you feel cold air escaping, then be sure to add caulking and insulation.

Upgrade to a smart thermostat.

There’s a reason smart thermostats are called smart. They automatically regulate heating and cooling (whether you’re home or not) to help you cut energy costs. You can also adjust the settings remotely using an app on your smartphone. A few popular smart thermostat brands include Ecobee, Lux, Lyric and Nest. Check for compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings and Wink for easier control.

Close the blinds.

This one should be obvious. Simply closing the blinds, especially in rooms that face the sun, can significantly drop the temperature of your home. Closing the blinds will help insulate the windows and keep cold air inside.

Use a fan.

When it gets hot indoors, our natural response is to lower the temperature on the thermostat. But what if you just turned on the fan instead? According to the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), a ceiling fan uses 10 percent less energy than a central air conditioner and can make a room feel 10 degrees cooler.

If you don’t have any fans installed in your home, or if you’d like to upgrade to a more energy-efficient one, give us a call!

Raise the temperature when you leave the house.

We’ve all been told that leaving the air conditioner on when leaving the house saves money because the AC doesn’t have to use extra energy to recool the home. Actually, the opposite is true. Cycling on and off uses more energy than running at full speed for a longer period of time.