Staying cool and keeping your AC costs under control in the blazing Arizona summer heat is top of mind now for every homeowner. Your HVAC system is busy working overtime to keep your home comfortable and cool—but at a cost. Here are some ways to beat the heat in the Valley of the Sun while keeping your utility bill under control.
Beat The Heat Tips
Adjust the Thermostat
For home comfort, most experts agree that 78 degrees is a good temperature for your house. Of course, you’ll probably want to lower the thermostat to between 72 and 76 degrees while entertaining guests for their comfort. Turning on ceiling fans will help keep you feeling cooler by three to four degrees. By continuously circulating the air, ceiling fans create a sense of coolness through evaporation. Remember to turn off ceiling fans when leaving a room for additional energy savings.
When you’re away from home, you can save electricity by raising the thermostat to 85 degrees. If you have pets, heat sensitive heirlooms or plants, it’s best to leave the temperature setting at 78 degrees.
Consider installing a smart thermometer that you can set to accommodate your schedule. Then, you won’t be coming back home to a hot house. Smart thermostats enable you to schedule temperature settings fitting your lifestyle. You’ll easily be able to make changes on the fly with the associated smart app on your mobile phone. These smart-enabled thermostats can even learn from your daily patterns. For instance, you can set your thermostat to cool down your home 20 minutes before you arrive and increase the temperature automatically when you’re away for work, errands, or a vacation.
Take Shorter Showers
The EPA says showers are the fourth largest household use of water, as well as a major use of electricity if you have an electric water heater. Making small changes, such as reducing your water heater temperature to 120 degrees and reducing the length of your showers, can significantly help reduce monthly electricity charges.
Turn off the Lights
With the cost of electricity bills rising this summer, along with rising inflation, turning off lights when they’re not needed will reduce the load on your budget. Flipping off light switches is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint too. Implementing small changes will add up to big savings on your monthly utility bills.
For additional information on cost-saving tips and ideas to keep you cool without breaking the bank, call the professionals at Cool Blew today at 623-872-2900. We’re here to help you this summer and throughout the year.
