Summer is usually synonymous with high electricity costs and as our cities become more overloaded, there has never been a better time to start saving power during these months. It's actually quite easy to start cutting your power costs, and it only takes a few minutes to implement some changes that can drastically reduce how much money you spend each month on energy costs. Let's look at just a few changes you can start right now.
1. Only run your air conditioning when you are home.
No one likes coming home to a stuffy house, but there is really no need to run your air conditioner all day when you are not home. Turn that unit off and you'll see a big change in your power bills. It will take a few minutes to cool off a room or the whole house, but you'll be saving so much money it won't seem as painful.
2. Open the windows at night.
Most places are lucky enough to have a pretty cool breeze during the night. One great trick you can try is opening up the windows when you go to bed and then closing them when you get up. The whole house will remain a lot cooler and you'll be able to get away with using your air conditioning a lot less. This is a method that was used before air conditioning even existed and it still works today.
3. Utilize less air conditioning by using more fans.
A simple fan can do a great job of keeping a room cool, and it can help you circulate more cool air throughout your home. Try to find a model that sits on the floor, as well as one that is a bit higher up. Put them in rooms with air conditioning and face them out so that they can pull that cold air to other parts of your home. Fans costs much less than an air conditioning unit to run as well.
4. Consider adding awnings to the southern windows in your home.
This can reduce your home cooling costs by as much as 30 to 40%, especially if you have a lot of southward facing windows. The initial investment will really pay off. If you can't afford an awning, consider getting insulated drapes that will accomplish a similar task. Once again, you can really make a difference in how much you're paying for energy with this little technique.
Crazy Bonus Tip:
If you live in an area that has a lot of high winds, it can feel as though you are trapped in a blast furnace. Find the prevailing direction of the winds and then seal the windows on that side of your house with the same sealer you would use in the winter. It sounds crazy, but it really does work. Older homes that do not have new windows can really benefit from this tip. By limiting how much hot air you have in your home, it will feel a lot cooler.
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Originally posted 2008-12-07 21:16:15. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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2 comments ↓
Very bad and very false advise for some areas of the country, like Florida. You have to be very careful about turning air-conditioning on and off in the summer because of the humidity. Basically what can happen is that the humid air from outside will come into your house and condense on the colder surfaces – just like moister on a cold glass. The problem is that the cold surfaces are everywhere. Inside furniture, walls, cabinets, closets and you run a serious risk for developing black mold. Black mold can cause serious respiratory problems for many (most) people.
No – better advise would be to keep the air on, but to turn it up 2-3 degrees while you’re at work, and 2 degrees while you are sleeping. If you’re going to be away for a few days, turn it up 5-6 degrees. Keep the temperature higher than normal, and wear shorts, t-shirts and no socks. Run ceiling fans in your office, or areas where you are stationed, but turn them off when you leave the room. These steps will allow you to keep the temperature set higher and remain comfortable.
Another strategy is to use no air-conditioning for as long as you can bear it. Basically, allow your house to become as cold as you can get it at night (leave windows open,) and in the morning, close it up tight. It will stay cool until dusk in the marginal months. I use this strategy in the spring and fall, and I reverse it as we head into heating season. I figure that I can shorten the cooling cycle by about 6 weeks (3 weeks in spring, and 3 in fall,) and I can shorten heating season by 6 weeks (again 3 in spring and 3 in fall.) I estimate that it cost about $5 per day to cool or to heat, so 90 days of neither is a nice savings.
True if you are in a humid part of the country leave the ac running but turn up the temperature…
(I am not in a humid part of the country. I appreciate the insight you are providing.)
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