12 Money Saving Tips for Cooling Your Home

12 Money Saving Tips for Cooling Your Home

1. Close window treatments during the day to prevent heat gain from the sun.
2. Have your air conditioner serviced before cooling season begins to ensure that the system is running efficiently.
3. Use exhaust fans while cooking and showering to lower the humidity inside your home.
4. Plant leafy trees and shrubs on the south and west sides of your home to provide shade during the hottest hours of the day.
5. Use natural ventilation.
6. Change furnace air filters often; dirty air filters increase cooling costs.
7. Make sure your home is insulated according to recommended levels from the U.S. Department of Energy.
8. Caulk or weather-strip all of your windows and doors; eliminating unwanted air infiltration significantly reduces cooling costs.
9. Check ductwork in your attic or crawlspace to ensure it has not become disconnected or obstructed. Make sure attic ductwork is covered sufficiently with insulation.
10. Install a programmable thermostat that will automatically raise the temperature setting at night and when you are away from home.
11. Set the thermostat to the highest temperature at which your family is still comfortable. For each degree you set your thermostat below 78°F you add up to 3 percent to your air-conditioning costs.
12. Consider using a whole-house attic fan to circulate air through the house and move warm attic air to the outside.
If your air-conditioning system is older or frequently needs repair, consider replacing it with a new unit that is sized correctly and qualifies for ENERGY STAR certification. In some climates, air-source or geothermal heat pumps are a highly efficient option for year-round heating and cooling.