Things That Raise Electric Bills During the Summer

Are you worried about high summer utility bills?

Nobody likes receiving a high electric bill. Unfortunately, electric bills tend to soar during the summer due to increased cooling demand. Did you know that cooling your home can make up to 60% of your utility bills expenses during the summer?? That’s a significant chunk of change.

Luckily, there are some things you can do to lessen the impact the cooling season has on your wallet. Small adjustments can make a big difference when it comes to your electric bill.

Here are some things you may be doing around your home that could raise utility bills. Quit doing these things and you could potentially save money this summer.

Do you have a non-programmable thermostat? Make sure after you set up the temperature you don’t mess with it. Making constant adjustments to your non-programmable thermostat can raise utility bills. Plus, a thermostat set at a lower temperature WON’T actually cool your home more quickly – it will just make your air conditioner run longer.

In or out? Constantly opening and closing exterior doors can let your cool, conditioned air escape your home. Make sure that you and your family aren’t constantly going in and out of the house.

And speaking of the outside air… It may be tempting to open the windows and doors, but it is not a good idea. Not only does it let unfiltered air into your home, but it also results in costly air leaks. Remember, it’s not your job to cool the neighborhood.

When was the last time you changed your furnace filter? A dirty furnace filter lowers indoor air quality and can restrict airflow. When airflow is restricted, your air conditioner is going to have to work harder to keep your home cool – raising utility bills and lowering home comfort. An overworked air conditioner will also have a shorter lifespan than the same air conditioner operating at optimal performance levels.

Not using a room? DO NOT close the registers or vents in that room. Although it seems like it makes sense to shut off access to rooms that do not need conditioned air, this can actually harm your air conditioner and result in higher bills. If you are looking for customized comfort  control, a zoning system is the better option. Remember, your air conditioner and ductwork are sized to heat or cool a certain amount of space. When you mess with those calculations, you mess with performance.

Have you scheduled preventative maintenance? As summer draws nearer and nearer, it is more important than ever to make sure you have scheduled preventative maintenance for your air conditioning system. Your contractor will make sure that your air conditioner is working at peak performance levels, AND they can catch any minor issues before they become big problems.

Are you ready to tackle the summer heat? Are there any other things you do during the summer to lower utility bills?

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