Arizona’s infamous summer heat can be great for outdoor activities like visiting Canyon Lake or hanging out by the pool. But electricity bills can skyrocket if you’re not careful. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep your home cool and your costs low.
- Set the thermostat to a comfortable level, and leave it there. Some homeowners believe that by turning the AC off when no ones home can save energy costs, but it actually makes things worse. During the hot Phoenix summers, AC experts recommend setting the thermostat to around 79 degrees, or a bit higher if you can tolerate it.
- Use ceiling or floor fans to to circulate air in the house as much as possible.
- It may sound insignificant, but the heat generated by incandescent light bulbs can make a difference when it gets this hot. Consider LED light bulbs – they generate virtually no heat, and are much more energy efficient. They tend to last longer than regular light bulbs, so you’ll save money there too!
- Add blinds or shades to your windows to keep the sunlight from penetrating your home.
- It’s hot. You’re hot. Why not take a cold shower and avoid using the water heater? Reduce your overall usage of hot water while doing loads of laundry, washing dishes, etc. and instantly save.
- Use off-peak electricity! If you plan on using the oven to cook dinner or plan on doing a load of laundry, try to use these major appliances during off peak hours, which are typically weekdays 3pm-7pm and over the weekends.
- Cooking indoors will also increase the temperature inside – use this as the perfect excuse to cook up some burgers and hot dogs on the grill!
- Seems simple enough, but consider unplugging the coffee maker or bedroom lamps when they’re not being used. Appliances have the ability to use something called “phantom electricity” which could sneak up on you and add to your bill.
- Change your air filter once a month to keep your A/C unit running at 100% efficiency and ensure maximum airflow.
