Summertime and the Living Is Expensive

Summer is here and so are the rising temperatures.  With the heat comes the rising costs of keeping your home cool and comfortable, but, there are ways that you can make your home more energy efficient and thus keep your money in your own pocket.  One of the best things you can do in preparation of the summer months is to change out your light bulbs.  I know, you’re thinking light bulbs, how is that going to help with the heat?  But by switching to compact fluorescent lights (CFL) or light emitting diodes (LED) from the traditional incandescent bulbs, you will save lots of money in the long run.  They cost a little more than regular bulbs but they use less energy and run a 1000 times longer.  The other added benefit, less heat is emitted from these bulbs, and less heat means less work for your air conditioner and lower energy costs.  Also, make sure your ceilings fans are in working order or install them if you don’t have them.  Fans help to circulate the air so will keep your house cooler in the long run.  The more air circulation again means less need for air conditioning and again lowers your energy bills.  Are you seeing a trend yet?

Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room, the big spender of summer, your air conditioner.  Whether you have central air, one of those old window units, or one of the new portable AC units, it is probable that you will turn it on at least once during the summer.  The best thing to do is make sure that it is in top working order.  The less efficient your air conditioner is the more expensive it is to run, so make sure all filters have been changed on a regular basis and your unit has been serviced.  If you have central air,  it is also a great idea to turn your temperature up during the day but never turn it off completely.  When you turn it off, it then had to work extra hard to cool the house back down when you get home.  One of the best ideas is to install a programmable thermostat so that it can automatically turn the temperature down to ideal levels 30 to 45 minutes before you get home.  Summer is here so why not save some money now so you can use it for something better, say a week in Hawaii.