Hot! Hot! Hot!

It’s hot, hot, hot!!! If you’re lucky enough to have air conditioning in your home, you’re probably having sticker shock from the high electric bills. Running the AC can be quite costly, especially if you have a larger home but here are some great tips to save you some money this summer:

·         Set your thermostat at 78 degrees. This is the ideal temperature to keep the house cool but also conserve energy. If you are leaving your house for an extended period of time during the day, set the temperature higher so that your AC is not working hard all day to keep an empty house cool. Better yet, install a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature throughout the day and save you some money.

·         If certain rooms are unused, shut their registers and close the doors. This just creates a smaller space to cool down.

·         If one or more of your windows gets blasted by the sun, close the shades or curtains in these rooms until the sun shifts.

·         Try not to use the oven or clothes dryer during especially hot days for obvious reasons. These appliances generate a lot of heat and will make your AC work harder to keep your house cool.

·         Ceiling fans are great additions to any room, especially bedrooms and living areas. However, turn them off if you leave the room. They don’t really keep a room cool by themselves. It’s the feeling of a breeze on warm skin that creates a cooling effect.

·         Lastly, make sure your air conditioner is working properly. Getting a tune up every once in a while will help guarantee it’s working efficiently.

These last few days have been some of the hottest we’ve had this summer. Thank goodness for air conditioners and the money to pay the electric bill!