How to Reduce Summertime Energy Costs

Energy costs have skyrocketed in recent years with utility companies adding on fuel charges on top of annual rate increases. Many customers are seeing bills which are double what they were just three years ago. This time of year, a big chunk of your energy costs are spent trying to keep cool. The good news is that you can reduce your costs by following the tips in this article.

To begin with, try natural cooling methods that don't use any energy at all since they won't cost you anything at all. The sun shining into your house all day can really heat things up so draw your curtains or close your blinds during the day to block the rays. Then open windows on opposite sides of the room or house to create a cross breeze. Even when it's very hot out, you will feel cooler just by having the air moving around. If you can do any landscaping where you live, plan shrubs and trees to shade areas of your house that get the most direct sun.

When natural methods just aren't doing the job, start with alternatives that consume the least amount of energy so would be the least expensive. A regular fan (window or stand-alone) using 200 watts and running for 200 hours per month will use about 47% less energy than the smallest air conditioner. This translates to a 47% cost savings over the air conditioner. Even combining a regular fan with a ceiling fan (without lights) running 180 hours per month, you will still save about 35% over the energy costs of the air conditioner.

APPLIANCE USAGE CHART

Appliance Ave. Watts Ave. Hours Used Ave. kWh Ave. Cost
Ceiling fan-
(w/o lights) 50 180 9 1.21

Regular fan 200 50 10 1.34
Ceiling fan-
(w/3 60-watt bulbs) 230 180 41 5.51

AC (5000 BTU) 500 200 75 10.07

AC (7000 BTU) 750 200 112 15.04

AC (10000 BTU) 1000 200 150 20.15

When you compare costs using the Appliance Usage Chart, you will quickly realize that energy costs go up dramatically when you switch on the air conditioner. However, there are times where you may need to use the AC in order to be comfortable. Fortunately, there are ways to help reduce the costs. Start by keeping all the doors and windows closed. As soon as you open a window, it pulls hot air in and your AC just became twice as expensive to use. Make sure you close off rooms not in use since they don't need to be cool if no one is in them. Next, try setting the temperature a little higher. Even a couple of degrees will lower your cost and most people won't even notice the difference. Finally, turn the unit off completely if you'll be gone all day or longer. The short time you will need to wait for it to cool things down is well worth it compared to the energy costs to leaving it on.

As you can see, there are several things you can do to keep your cooling costs under control. If you use even a couple of these suggestions, you will see a difference in your monthly bill. By following all of the tips presented here, you will be able to stay comfortable this summer without watching your energy costs soar into the triple digits. For that, your wallet will thank you!