Save Money on Your Air Conditioning Bill This Summer
Thermostat: Turn your thermostat up while you are at work all day. I set mine at 78 when I leave in the morning and turn it down when I return.
A programmable thermostat can save you money as well. It helps if you forget to turn the air conditioner up before you leave in the morning.
Grill: Summer time is a nice time to get out of the pool and throw dinner on the grill. Instead of heating up the house with your stove cook, grill dinner outside. Running your oven cost approx. .25 cents an hour.
Clothesline: It may sound old fashioned but the dryer is expensive to run. When ever possible hang your clothes out to dry. It makes whites whiter.
You can throw your clothes in the dryer for 10 minutes and then hang them up in your laundry room to finish drying the rest of the way on hangers. Estimated cost of running the dryer is .30 cents a load.
Caulk: Your windows may need a fresh bead of caulk around the edge to help prevent your air from escaping.
Drapes: Install energy efficient drapes, blinds, etc. on the east and west side of your house.
Water Heater: Your water heater is a main source of your electric bill. Shower in cooler water, take a shorter shower, and wash your clothes in cold water instead of hot.
Light Bulbs: Replace your light bulbs with energy efficient ones and remember to turn the lights out when you leave the room. There is energy efficient halogen bulbs for your motion detector.
Fans: Fans cool people not rooms. If you leave a room, turn off the ceiling fan. If you are watching television, you can turn your thermostat up a couple of degrees and turn the fan on.
Refrigerator: Don’t stand with the refrigerator door open while you are deciding what to eat. You know what is in there already.
Television: If you like to watch television while you are falling asleep, nearly every t.v. has a sleep button. Set it for a certain amount of time and the t.v. will turn off.
Computers: You are still paying for your computer to run even when it is on standby. If you are going to sleep or leaving for the day, shut down your computer.
Dishwasher: Only run your dishwasher when it is completely full. It will cost an average of .30 cents a load to run.
