Temperatures are rising, and you want to keep cool without your bank account taking a major dive. Don’t let soaring temperatures drain your bank account through high cooling costs. These simple, inexpensive tips will help in controlling cooling costs:
Turn it up. For every degree your thermostat is above 78, you can save dollars on your electric bill. A programmable thermostat lets you set daily and weekly schedules for when your temperatures will go up and down, allowing you to save on energy costs when you’re not at home or are asleep.
Spin ‘em round. Use ceiling fans to help with controlling cooling costs. Fans create a wind-chill effect that makes the air feel cooler, allowing you to turn up the thermostat a few degrees. This removes some of the burden on your A/C during hot days.
Live in harmony with nature: Let Mother Nature work for you by opening windows in the morning when the air is still cool, and closing them as the day’s temperatures start to rise.
Enjoy your privacy. Curtains, blinds and shade trees can reduce the heat entering your house as much as 20 percent.
Cook by the clock. Control cooling costs by cooking at cooler times or using your outdoor grill. Your oven can heat your kitchen by 10 degrees or more.
Buy cool lights. Replace old bulbs with compact fluorescents and LEDs. Incandescent bulbs run hot.
Seal air leaks. Ensure your home’s ductwork is sealed and properly insulated, especially where ducts run through unconditioned areas. Use caulk, weatherstripping or spray foam to seal leaks in windows and doors, and other parts of your home’s outer envelope. Together all of these leaks can be the same as a window being constantly open.
Insulate. Make sure your attic has at least 16 inches of insulation. Vent your attic as well. When re-roofing, consider lighter colored shingles and installing a ventilation system to remove excess heat from the attic. Otherwise, this heat will radiate into your living spaces.
To learn more about controlling cooling costs, please contact us at Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal. Our technicians are here to help you save on energy costs. For more than 40 years, we have been serving Northwest Arkansas with experienced and reliable technicians.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Northwest Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about cooling costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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