Save on your summer electric bill with these simple tips. It seems impossible to stay cool in the summertime without costing a ton but you can do this!

I don’t know about your place, but here at the Zoo every time that AC kicks on I can hear my wallet mourning with my bank account!  Every time it flips on I hear screams of “WHHYYYY”s and “NNNNOOOO”s  and “Don’t do this!!!!” resounding through our Zoo.

So, in order to help ease my poor wallets pain and comfort that little bank accounts already fallen, unhealthy weight loss issue, I thought I’d find some ways to help save on energy costs.

• Install a programmable thermostat and raise the setting to the highest comfortable temperature. You can save 3 to 5 percent on your air conditioning costs for each degree you raise the thermostat.
• Close doors leading to parts of your home that aren’t cooled. If you have central air conditioning, close off vents to unused rooms.
• Keep filters clean. When air filters are dirty, the unit has to work harder to keep the temperature correct, so it costs more.
• Even if you have air conditioning, use ceiling and other fans to provide additional cooling and better circulation. Make sure they are set on the little sun so that they properly cool your room rather than circulating heat!
• Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows. You’ll be glad you did when you Winterize your home!
• Eliminate air leaks around window air conditioners with foam insulation or weather-stripping.
• Close blinds, shades and draperies facing the sun to keep out the sun’s heat and help fans and air conditioners cool more efficiently.
• Turn off power sources. TVs, computers and other electronic devices draw power when they are in standby mode or turned off but still plugged in or you can plug electronics into power strips or switches and turn off the power switch when the items are not in use. We use these awesome remote control switches made by Etekcity.
• Use timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.
• Replace old appliances with new energy efficient Energy Star appliances.
• If possible, install whole-house fans that bring in cooler night-time air that can pre-cool a house and reduce energy use in the daytime if heat is kept out by closing windows and shades
• During the day, summer heat builds up in the attic space of your home, reaching temperatures as high as 130 degrees. In the evening, this heat can radiate back down into your home. To pull the heat out of your home and attic, consider installing a whole house fan. House fans work by pulling in fresh air through the open windows of your home, and exhausting it out the ceiling and into the attic. From there, it’s pushed out of the attic through the roof or gable vents.
  • You can also put box fans in windows to achieve almost the same effect.  Use them in the mornings when the air is cool to help pull in cooler air.
  • Use ceiling fans to pull heat up so that the rest of the room is cooler.

It’s easier to save on your summer electric bill than you may feel when your overwhelmed with the terrible heat. Nobody can think clearly in those times!

Do you have any tips or tricks you could share with us?