So your air conditioner is getting a bit long in the tooth, as they say. Or you are just tired of paying high electric bills. What can you do to reduce the cost of air conditioning this summer? Here are three simple ways to lower your bill— with no decrease in comfort. (Unless you like coming home to a walk-in cooler atmosphere after work, that is. Then we suggest you move your bed into the cooler.)
From energy.gov: 1. Don’t heat your house with your appliances. Washer, dryer, oven, dishwasher, incandescent light bulbs— even your TV or computer— all emit heat. Do your laundry at night or in the cooler hours of early morning. Grill outside on the balcony. Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. Don’t run the dishwasher unless it’s full.
2. Put your windows to work for you. Those windows work both ways. You’ve heard the old expression about the highway running both directions? So it applies to windows as well. They not only keep heat out; they let heat in the house. Keep them closed tightly during the heat of the day, with good reflective draperies or window coverings. When the temperature goes down significantly, open the windows to allow circulation. Then shut them in the morning before the sun’s rays are strong, to keep the cool air inside the house. Don’t open windows, however, if the temperature in your neighborhood stays muggy all night. It will just make the AC work harder, trying to dehumidify the space.
3. Juggle the thermostat. Don’t just set it and forget it. Keep the temperature higher while you are at work or sleeping— as much as 10 degrees, if you’re comfortable with that. If you come home in the evening when the air is cooling off, you might be able to leave it at the higher temperature. The government estimates that you could shave 20% off your AC/electric bill by turning up the thermostat from 72 degrees to 78 degrees. That’s a chunk of change!
So here’s what NOT to do after work: Come home, turn down the thermostat, plant yourself in front of the stove and cook, watch TV & go to bed in a 65-degree house or apartment. Here’s what to do: Come home. Open the frig and take out the dinner you cooked that morning or last weekend. Sit outside on the balcony or near a window and enjoy the evening air. (If you buy a programmable thermostat, you’ll have extra help with the assignment.) Go inside and sleep like a bear in hibernation, knowing you won’t pay to chill out in your polar home.