9 Ways To Stretch Your Savings During the Peak of Summer Heat

As the summer months are in full swing, many of us start to worry about our energy and electricity bills. With the heat and humidity rising, we turn up the air conditioning or run fans to cool down our homes, just as in the winter, we start cranking up the thermostats. But this can quickly add up on your monthly bill.

Luckily, energy expert Noel Gillis from Home Mechanics has put together nine simple ways you can save money on your summer energy and electricity bills without sacrificing comfort.

Heating and Cooling

Whether you’re cranking up that thermostat to avoid the cold weather, or running air conditioning in the blistering heat, home heating and cooling are some of the biggest culprits behind hefty utility bills. But the good news is that heating and cooling also offer some of the biggest cost-cutting opportunities if you know what to do. Here are Noel’s top tips on saving on your heating and cooling:

Adjust Your Thermostat

Adjusting your thermostat up or down is a no-brainer when it comes to saving money on your utility bills, and it’s super easy too. Set your thermostat down (in the winter) or up (in the summer) 7-10 degrees when you’re asleep or away from home. Reducing the difference between the temperature inside and outside the house means that your heating and cooling systems have to work far less hard, which can save you up to 10% a year on those bills (energy.gov). Even when you’re in the home, adjusting the thermostat up or down (depending on the season) as much as is comfortable – one or two degrees, for example – can save on energy use and cut your bills.

You can also install a programmable thermostat, that will automatically adjust the temperature when you are not at home or are asleep, saving you money without having to think about it. But if installing a new thermostat isn’t within budget, setting reminders on your phone to adjust your thermostat manually before bed or going out is just as effective.

Do Simple Routine Maintenance

Keeping up with simple general maintenance is essential to keeping your heating and cooling systems and appliances running efficiently and saving on your utility bills. This can be as simple as regularly replacing the air filter of your heating and air conditioning system(s). You can buy these in bulk to save money, increase energy efficiency, and cut bills. (See Perform Your Own Annual Air Conditioner Inspection.)

For your fridge, you’ll want to clean the refrigerator coils once a year, removing any dust and debris that can interfere with how efficiently it runs. To do so: unplug the fridge for safety reasons, gently remove any protective grilles that may be covering the coils, and use a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery, crevice, brush or flat head attachment to remove any dust, dirt or debris. It’s also a good idea to keep your fridge away from heat sources such as windows or ovens, in order to reduce energy usage.

Adjust Your Fridge and Freezer Temperature

Set your fridge to 37 degrees and your freezer to 0 degrees. This will keep your food fresh, but your fridge and freezer won’t need to work as hard to maintain the temperature.

Use Fans Instead of Air Conditioning

Running fans in your home can help circulate cool air and reduce your reliance on air conditioning, helping you save money on your energy bills while keeping your home cool and comfortable. According to Energy.gov, a ceiling fan can help you feel cooler by up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing you to raise your thermostat by the same amount and save up to 30% on your cooling costs!

If you don’t have ceiling fans or don’t want to install them, simply using a plugin fan to cool the room you’re in is also much cheaper than switching on the AC.

Do an Energy Audit

If you can, get a professional to assess your home’s energy efficiency and identify ways to reduce your energy use. Utility providers sometimes conduct a home energy audit for free, so check out if your utility company offers this. If not, it may be time for a switch, as long as you can get the same or a better deal on your monthly utility bills.

A home energy audit will check for things like faulty seals on windows and doors or leaky ductwork, that could be leaking hot or cold air into the house, draining energy from your home and driving up your heating and cooling costs. You’ll also get recommendations for energy-efficient appliance fixtures or replacements, as well as repairs, that can save on utility bills long term, though, of course, it will be up to you to decide if this is something that fits into your budget.

If you can’t find a free home energy audit and don’t want to pay for one, it is possible to do a DIY home energy assessment (Energy.gov offers key advice). Although doing a DIY home energy audit yourself may not be as thorough as a professional service, a careful walk-through of your property can spot many problems and put you on the path to fixing them. For example, you can inspect your home for air leaks by looking for obvious drafts and then set about sealing them to start saving those dollars on utility bills.

Power and Lighting

Switch to LED Lighting

Swapping out your incandescent light bulbs and fixtures for LED bulbs can save you around $225 per year (Energy.gov). According to the US Department of Energy, residential LEDs can use at least 75 percent less energy than incandescent lighting and last up to 25 times longer.

Install Dimmer Switches

Dimmer switches are adjustable light switches that allow you to set the brightness of each room to suit your needs at the time. If you’re using the room but don’t need a particularly bright light, setting your lights dimmer can save electricity, decreasing your utility bills. If you’re not ready to invest in dimmer switches yet, getting some LED-powered lamps instead of having overhead lights on is a very effective way of saving electricity and money.

Use Smart Power Strips

Many electronic devices, like TVs, computers, and speakers, never completely shut down. Instead, they remain in standby mode, quietly drawing small amounts of electricity. This “phantom” energy use can contribute to 5% to 10% of your household energy consumption, adding up to about $100 annually. To reduce this unnecessary power drain, consider using smart power strips. These strips automatically cut off the electricity when the devices are not in use. Alternatively, a power strip with a manual on/off switch can also be effective.

Related:

• Beating Energy Costs: Does Your Home Have Enough Insulation?
• Low Cost Cooling Options for the Frugal Homeowner
• Simple Ways To Cut the High Cost of Hot Water

Reviewed August 2024