Summer means cookouts, vacations and lots of time outdoors. For your home, however, it means something different. Keeping your home cool can cause a spike in summer month energy bills. There are a number of ways you can increase your energy savings without suffering through the long hot summer.
Keep the Freezer Stocked
Stocking your freezer with cool summer treats isn’t just a good way to help beat the heat after a long day of play, it’s also a good way to keep your freezer running efficiently. Every time you open your freezer door, you’re making your freezer work harder to cool back down. However, when your freezer is fully stocked, that helps your unit run more efficiently because there is less air space for your freezer to cool. This means your freezer doesn’t work as hard.
Unplug and Unwind
We all have small appliances – think toaster, blender, computer, gaming console, TV – and chargers that we leave plugged in constantly just in case. Did you know that unplugging those when you aren’t using them could save you up to $100 annually? Take some time to unplug electronics that you aren’t using and save big on electric bills.
Don’t Forget About Your Biggest Fan(s)
You may not know it, but your ceiling fan has separate modes for winter and summer. There is a switch on your fan that controls the direction it spins, helping it cool in warm months, and spread heat evenly in the cold months. Once you’ve got it spinning the right way, crank it all the way up.
Also, consider purchasing standing or box fans. No matter how fast your fans run, they are a more energy-efficient and cheaper way to cool your home than your central air conditioner. Switch off the AC (or turn it up to higher temperature like 78) and blast your fans at top speed, and don’t forget to turn them off when you leave the room.
Opt for Cold Water
Of course, every load is different, but using cold water to wash your clothes can really amp up your energy savings. Almost 90 percent of the energy a washing machine uses goes towards warming water for washing. Using cold water instead can drastically cut your energy use.
Avoid Baking
Do we all love fresh-baked cookies? Of course! Unfortunately, using your oven is another source of high energy costs. If you can, skip using the oven and opt to get creative with a crock pot or instant pot. They use significantly less energy and won’t heat your home like an oven will. Using your oven could raise the temperature in your kitchen up to 10 degrees, causing your AC to work that much harder to cool your home.
Keeping your air conditioning unit running as efficiently as possible is another good way to keep temps down and savings up. Contact our team at Snyder Heating & Air Conditioning today – we’ll keep your AC running at maximum efficiency this summer!
