Although you look forward to summer and the warmer temperatures, you also know this time of year often means your home's energy bills start to increase, thanks in part to running your air conditioning system virtually nonstop. While you may think there is no way around higher energy bills during the summer months, the opposite is actually true. To make your home more energy-efficient and keep more dollars in your pocket, here are some things you can try right away.
Use a Programmable Thermostat
If your home has a programmable thermostat, this will offer you numerous advantages. For example, you can set the thermostat so that your home stays warmer during the day while you are at work, then begins to cool things down just before you get home. Best of all, most of these thermostats can be controlled from apps downloaded to smartphones, giving you added convenience.
Close the Blinds
When the sun shines in your home's windows, this instantly increases the interior temperature by up to 10 degrees. To keep this from happening, install outdoor blinds on your windows and keep them closed as much as possible, especially when you know the sun will be hitting certain parts of your home. Like the programmable thermostat, these blinds can often be controlled remotely, letting you close them whether you are at home or elsewhere.
Maintain Your Refrigerator
Since you need your fridge to keep those cool drinks cool and the popsicles and ice cream frozen on hot summer days, take steps to increase its efficiency and keep it running smoothly day after day. To begin with, set your refrigerator temperature to just above freezing, usually between 35-38 degrees Fahrenheit. As for your freezer, its temperature should range from zero to five degrees. Also, try keeping both filled with as much food and other stuff as possible, since this creates less air space that needs to be cooled.
Install Low-Flow Water Fixtures
During the summer, it is almost inevitable that most households see their water usage increase. If yours is among these, you can increase your energy efficiency by installing low-flow water fixtures, such as shower heads and toilets. If you like to water your lawn regularly, you can also use low-flow outdoor sprinklers to reduce your monthly water bill.
If you take these steps just as the temperatures start to soar, you may find that while the temperatures are increasing, so too is your home's energy efficiency. Should this happen, your smile will also increase, since your monthly energy bills will be decreasing.
