Well with the temps in the 90s here this week I have had to break down and turn on the air conditioner. I am trying to keep it at 76 during the day while my husband is at work. For now it is programmed at 72 but I am hoping to bump that up to 74 as soon as I can figure out how to run the programmable thermostat!You can lower your cooling bills by adding some of these other helpful tips.
~Shade your house from the sun. Planting trees on the south side of the house is a good investment.
~Install awnings over windows that get direct sunlight.
~Adding insulation to your attic will help reduce the amount of heat absorbed through the roof and then through the ceiling. (We did this last year and it has made a huge difference.)
~Close your drapes during the hours of the day that direct sunlight is coming in.
~If you use your air conditioner, turn your thermostat up higher. If you set it to 76, that will feel pretty good to the 90 degrees that it is outside.
~Use fans to circulate the air. Overhead fans are great, but even small box fans will help move the air.
~At the end of the day when it is dark and the temperature is cooler and not humid, turn off your air conditioner and open the windows or just turn your air up.
~Instead of using your oven, grill outside to keep from heating up the kitchen.
~Use small appliances like the microwave, crock pot or skillet instead of the oven or stove. This is more energy efficient and it will cut back on unwanted heat.
~Hang clothing outside instead of using your dryer.
~Turn the heat cycle off on the dishwasher.
~Take short showers to avoid a buildup of steam.
Linked to Frugal Friday at Life as Mom.
great tips thanks
ReplyDeleteGood tips! The only one you didn't include is my favorite...take cool showers. :) Yeah, the water bill might go up a little but it will more than likely be less than the electric bill would if you lower the thermostat!
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