Tips For Keeping Your Home Cool This Summer Without Breaking The Bank

If you live somewhere that experiences very hot summers, you may love your air conditioner but hate the high bills associated with keeping your home cool. Luckily, there are several things you can do to keep your home cool and comfortable without breaking the bank. Use the following tips to help keep your cooling bill down when the summer months arrive:

Have Your Air Conditioner Tuned Up

Maintenance is essential if you want your air conditioning unit to run as efficiently as possible. But maintaining an air conditioner is not something that homeowners can do on their own—you will need the help of an experienced HVAC technician. When your air conditioning is in excellent condition and is well-maintained, it will be able to cool your home more efficiently, so it will not have to run as often, thus leading to lower cooling bills. It is a good idea to schedule an air conditioning tune up in the spring months, prior to the weather getting hot.

Invest in a Programmable Thermostat

One of the simplest ways to keep summer cooling bills under control is to install a programmable thermostat in your home. These are typically sold in most home improvement stores, and they are easy for homeowners to install themselves. When you have a programmable thermostat, you can prevent the air conditioner from running all day when the house is empty. But there is no need to walk into a house that is not cool enough—just set the programmable thermostat to begin cooling the house to your preferred temperature shortly before everyone gets home.

Hang Blackout Curtains

Blackout curtains are designed to insulate a window and keep sunlight out. A quality set of blackout curtains can help reduce the amount of heat that enters your home, so your air conditioner will not need to run as often. It is a good idea to keep the blackout curtains on windows on the east side of your home closed in the morning, and then close the blackout curtains on west-facing windows in the afternoon.

Pay Attention to Your Air Filter

If you want to keep your home cool without high cooling costs, it is essential to check your air filter often. When an air filter is clogged and dirty, your air conditioner has to work much harder to cool down your home, thus leading to higher bills. It is in your best interest to change the air filter in the spring before you start using your air conditioner regularly, and then check it every few weeks during the summer months to see if it needs to be replaced. 

For additional information, contact a company like Dependable Air Conditioning Co Inc.