Tips for Lowering Your Summer Utility Bills
By: ROS Team
Summer is a wonderful time to go outside and enjoy the nice weather, but it also brings higher utility expenditures. You can keep your summer utility bills low by following these tips:
Close Vents & Turn A/C Off When You’re Not At Home
Close vents when you leave the house. When you’re not home, close off any rooms that aren’t being used and turn off the AC unit.
If a room is closed off and has no windows or doors to bring in fresh air, it can rapidly become stuffy and heated.
Turn down the AC when you leave the house. If you have an older model of central air conditioning, consider lowering its temperature setting. So that it only kicks on when needed–and not while everyone’s out running errands or enjoying themselves at work or school during the day!
You will save money by not running as much coolant through your system. Which is expensive, and you will also save energy, which saves even more money.
Check Your Water Heater’s Setting
The most effective setting for the majority of water heaters is 120 degrees, so check that it is set to that. If your appliance is an older model without a thermostat. All you need to do is shut off the power at the breaker box and wait until it has cooled completely before turning it back on.
Use a thermometer to check the temperature: Hold it toward where hot water flows out of your faucet. If it doesn’t register at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit, adjust accordingly until you reach that mark or higher.
But don’t go over 140 degrees because this will shorten the lifespan of your unit by causing corrosion inside its walls and pipes!
Be careful not to burn yourself while adjusting these settings; always wear protective gear like gloves when touching anything hot (and remember: Never touch an electric element directly!).
Set Your AC To 78 Degrees
The most comfortable temperature for cooling is 78 degrees, and this is also the optimal temperature for saving money on utilities.
The reason? When you set your air conditioner to a temperature lower than 78 degrees, it takes longer for the air in your home to cool. This means that if your thermostat is set below 78 degrees, you will use more energy.
Install A Programmable Thermostat
A programmable thermostat is an excellent way to reduce utility bills, save energy and money, and save time.
You can set the temperature of your home higher or lower while you’re sleeping or away from home. This will help keep your air conditioner from running when no one is in the house and prevent it from being turned on if someone accidentally walks into an overheated room.
When you arrive home from work, instead of cranking up the heat straight away (and paying more), switch on the AC so that everything is nice and chilly by the time you get there.
Wash Clothes in Large Loads
When you wash clothes, use the largest load size that your washing machine can handle. This will save water and electricity. If there are only a few items to be washed, it’s better to hand-wash them rather than run an entire load of water just for a few things.
Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible – even for whites! The hot water will bleach out stains more quickly but also uses more energy than cold temperatures would have required anyway (it takes up to 50% more power).
Use detergent made specifically for large loads instead of regular detergents because they contain less foam enhancers which means less energy is needed during agitation cycles when they’re mixed with warm or hot tap water–and don’t forget about additives like optical brighteners, so whites stay white longer!
Turn Off Ceiling Fans When Possible
Ceiling fans are one of the most common ways to cool your home, and they can be very effective. But if you have a ceiling fan that’s not circulating air, then it’s not doing anything but using electricity and wasting money.
When you’re at home, turn off any ceiling fans that aren’t in use. And, if you’re sleeping or leaving the house for extended periods of time (such as for work or school), turn off all unnecessary lights and appliances!
Use Fans Instead Of Air Conditioning When Possible
If you have a ceiling fan, use it. A ceiling fan can move more air than an air conditioner, so if you’re in a room that’s hot and humid, turn on the fan rather than turn on the AC.
This way, you’ll cool off quickly without having to pay for energy used by an electric or gas-powered unit.
If possible, set up two fans: one pointing down right when you walk into a room (to cool things down) and another pointing upward at night when it gets too warm for sleeping comfortably–this will help circulate cooler air around the room all night long.
Take Advantage of Natural Light
You can lower your summer utility bills by taking advantage of natural light. Control the quantity of light entering your home with curtains or shades, and open windows in the morning and close them at night.
Install awnings or shades if you have a south-facing window so that it heats up less during the day and cools down faster at night.
Purchase Energy Efficient Appliances
Purchasing energy-efficient appliances is an excellent way to reduce your utility bills. Because these products use less energy, you will use less energy and save money.
Energy-efficient appliances are also more durable than non-efficient models, which means they will last longer and provide your family with years of comfort.
Final Thoughts
We hope these suggestions help you save money on your summer utility costs while also making your life a little easier. If you have any more suggestions that we haven’t addressed here, please leave them in the comments area below!