Keeping the costs low on cooling your home in the hot Georgia summers is no easy task, but it can be done. There are quite a few smart ways you can help reduce your power bills while keeping your home cooler. Some of the methods are no-brainers and a few of them may seem outside-the-box, but are nonetheless, effective.
KEEP YOUR THERMOSTAT AS WARM AS YOU CAN BEAR
No one wants to be hot or uncomfortable in their home but if you or your family members find themselves snuggling under a blanket while the air is on, it may be too cool in there. That’s just wasted money, literally. Full disclosure: lots of companies and people give the advice of keeping your thermostat on 78, at the lowest, and 85 when you’re away. Let’s face it, 78 degrees isn’t reasonable for a large number of homeowners and 85 is simply out of the question.
Have you ever walked into a house that’s 85 degrees? That’s sweltering, especially in Georgia. But 73 or 74 won’t run the system too hard when you’re home and then try to put it up to 77 or 78 when you’re not going to be home. A programmable thermostat is very helpful with changes like these. If you have two or more units, have them run their own schedules to accommodate you when you spend more time on the floor that they control.
SEAL YOUR DOORS
Not so you can’t go in and out of them but rectifying a draft situation might literally save you hundreds a year by avoiding air conditioning and heating the neighborhood. Install weather stripping where there are any gaps between door and frame, and fill any holes around the outside of the frame with caulk. Cool air that escapes through cracks and voids can end up being close to 20% of your energy bill if not checked and fixed properly.
INSTALL ENERGYSTAR APPLIANCES
The government loves when you save energy and will often reward you for complying with their energy saving suggestions. Sometimes it’s in the form of a tax incentive, sometimes it may be a check but regardless saving energy with any of the government aides that have been put into place can be quite rewarding. EnergyStar appliances are the ones you see with the blue and white EnergyStar logo like this one to the right.
INSULATION PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN COOLING
Whether you have an attic, a crawlspace, or both, they all need to be sufficiently insulated. You can bet that your attic is probably a few inches (if not feet) low, and most crawlspaces haven’t even been insulated at all. Your attic can allow warmer air in if it’s not insulated properly. Ideally, a spray foam on the top of your attic and adequately filled insulation on the attic floor will drastically keep your home cooler in the warmer months and warmer in the cooler months. Keep in mind that the cost of insulation will pale in comparison to the amount of your hard-earned dollars you’ll save by doing so.
INSTALL OR USE YOUR CEILING FANS
Your air conditioner’s friends list should include a few extremely effective elements: Programmable Thermostat Proper Insulation Adequate Sealing Ceiling Fan(s) A ceiling fan has the ability to help reduce a room’s temperature and help lower your bills in a way that nothing else does. Keeping a ceiling fan on medium (not low, not high) will allow you to put your air a degree or two higher and keep your home cool.
Think about this: each degree you set your thermostat higher can save you anywhere from 1 to 3% on your power bill each month. That really adds up! Also, keep in mind that you can reverse the direction of the fan in the cooler months so it pushes the warmer air down from the ceiling. Ceiling fans are not only your A/C unit’s friends, but yours, too.
By choosing to follow any or as many of these simple steps as you can, you will reduce your cooling costs and keep your home comfortable.