Summertime brings with it higher temperatures and higher cooling costs. To help chill off without overheating your wallet, keep these tips in mind:
1. Whether portable or an outside unit, air conditioners should be placed in a shady spot. That way, the unit doesn't have to work as hard.
2. Buy the right sized unit. If a unit is too small, it won't cool enough. If a unit is too big, it won't pull all the humidity out of the air, creating a muggy atmosphere in your home.
3. On humid days, keep the fan on low. Pulling air slowly through the unit allows it to pull more humidity out of the air, helping keep the air cooler.
4. Clean the air filters once a month. Make sure you can vacuum and/or wash filter with soapy water. If you have an outdoor unit, make sure to clean around it to get rid of debris and leaves.
5. Try using portable and/or ceiling fans. This allows your body to believe it is cooler so you can set the temperature on your a/c unit higher. But, don't leave these on all the time or it defeats the savings.
6. Replace your regular light bulbs with CFL lights. They don't get as hot as regular bulbs and don't increase the temperature of your house, easing the work your a/c unit has to do to cool down the air temperature. At $5/year energy savings, a typical house can save $225 per year for 45 light bulbs.
7. Keep blinds and drapes closed. Less sun exposure through the windows means less heat getting through.
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