Staying cool in warm summer months can be difficult at times, but with the convenience of modern air conditioning keeping our homes cool has become easier.
Most families look forward to warm weather months not only because they can finally get outside and enjoy their surroundings, but also because they finally feel relief from home heating costs.
That monetary relief is short lived for some who quickly feel the need to turn on their home's air conditioning systems.
The cost of cooling your home accounts for about sixty percent of American's summer energy bills and energy systems are stressed to the max resulting in rolling black outs.
Cooling doesn't have to break the bank.
By making a few important changes you can stay cool for less.
If your home uses a central air or window air conditioning appliance to keep cool, you can make changes that will noticeably lower your energy bills.
First, when you are buying a new air conditioner for your home make sure to purchase the right size unit.
You should measure the size of the room or rooms you wish to cool with the machine to determine the right size unit to fit your needs.
If the air conditioning unit is too large or too small it will be working harder than needed and using up costly electricity.
After you've found the right air conditioning unit for your home needs, its time to make sure you're staying cool.
It's important to adopt cool habits like closing blinds on especially sunny days, turning on the stove during cool times of the day and changing out incandescent light bulbs for chlorofluorocarbons.
Making small changes in your behavior at home will help to keep your house cool.
Every time you turn your air conditioner's thermostat up a degree seven percent of your energy bill goes back in your pocket.
If you live in Texas or Colorado, some of the sunniest states in our nation, it is a good idea to install heavy mesh solar screens on the outside of West facing windows.
These solar screens can block 40-80 percent of heat coming from the sun cutting your cooling bill by up to twenty percent.
Another great way to save on cooling energy is to insulate your home, especially the attic.
Installing energy efficient fiberglass insulation usually costs about 800 dollars and can reduce your energy bills (heating and cooling) by about twenty percent a year.
Finally it is important to set your air conditioner on a cycle turning it off during times when the temperature is cooler.
If you live in a place where temperatures drop significantly during night time hours, you could turn your A/C off and use a whole-house fan to cool your home overnight.
A whole house fan cost around nine hundred dollars and using it to cool your home or aid your A/C in cooling your home will save you about ten percent on energy costs.
Combining lifestyle changes and home improvements will help you significantly lower your summer energy bills.