4 Ways To Cut AC Costs This Summer

Every year, people look for ways to lower their cooling costs during the summer. Well, look no further! Here are four ways cool yourself and your house down without running up a huge tab on your AC.

1. Become a Fan of Fans

Ceiling fans themselves don’t cool you down, they simply move air around the space in your home, but setting a certain rotati

on can make a big difference as far as circulation goes. With that, here are two ways to cool down using fans:

• Switch your ceiling fan to run counter-clockwise. This helps keep the cold air moving and circulating throughout the room. Your fan should only spin clockwise during the winter in order to help the warm air rise.
• A super-easy way to cool down by a very simple means is using any regular fan and a bit of ice. As we discussed earlier, fans do not produce their own air, they simply push it around. If you place a bowl of ice directly in front of a fan, the fan begins to push air into the ice, the ice cools the air, then the air cools you.

2. Invest in Curtains

It is estimated that as much as 50% of unwanted heat comes through windows. Investing in blackout curtains or thermal curtains will give your AC unit more of a break when the heat hits. Both types of curtains are made of tightly woven fabrics that are meant to keep sunlight (and heat) out of the house. The main difference between the two is that thermal curtains are more meant for houses that are not well-insulated. If your house is well-insulated, then blackout curtains will do the job.

3. Plant Trees Around Your House

Placing plants and trees around your house could prove beneficial for your electric bill. Since we learned that half of the unwanted heat in the house comes through windows, planting trees or tall bushes around sun-facing windows could soften the blow. You can also use trees as a shade covering for your AC unit. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using trees or shrubs to shade your air conditioner can increase its efficiency by up to 10 percent. Just be sure to leave at least two feet of clearance between the compressor and plants to allow for adequate airflow.

4. Invest In A Smart Thermostat

Smart thermostats are able to help save you money on a daily basis. These devices are programmed to know your schedule, and they act accordingly. For instance, when you are out of the house, the thermostat will raise the temperature to cut costs and lowers the temperature when you return home. These thermostats have been reported to save homeowners an average of about 18% on their energy bills with the proper usage.

If you need help installing a smart thermostat, Triple-T Plumbing, Heating & Air is more than capable to do the job. To schedule this kind of service, or to solve any other air conditioning issue, contact us through our website or call us at 801-798-7711 (Spanish Fork) or 972.427.4418 (St. George).