July and August are the hottest months of the year in Southwest Michigan.  It’s definitely the perfect time to hang out in the pool or hit up the beaches throughout our area (St. Joe, Bridgman, South Haven – take your pick!). Unfortunately, we can’t spend all of our time at the beach so when you are at home, you want your air conditioning to keep you cool while, at the same time, not break the bank. 

So how can you stay cool at home and also save money on energy bills? You’re in luck, because we have 7 tips below to help you stay cool and save money on air conditioning this summer!

1. Set your thermostat to a reasonably comfortable temperature

Before setting your thermostat to a nice room temperature setting of 72 degrees, keep in mind that we tend to dress in lighter clothes during the summer. Try slowly raising the temperature in the range of 73 to 79 degrees to see what’s comfortable for your house. The U.S. Department of Energy specifies 78 degrees as the ideal compromise—cool enough and saving you money. Every degree you go up from 72 saves you 3-5% percent on your air conditioning energy costs. 

2. Raise the temperature whenever you leave home

Whenever nobody will be home for more than 2 hours, you can save energy by raising the temperature by 7-10 degrees. The Department of Energy says doing this consistently will save you as much as 10% on cooling costs. 

3. Save money at night

When you sleep, your body temperature lowers. So you may be able to raise the temperature a bit at night, especially if you use lighter sleepwear and lighter bed coverings. 

4. Switch to a smart thermostat

You can program a smart thermostat to raise the temperature 10 degrees during the day when everyone is at work and then lower it 30 minutes before you return home. Some smart thermostats have even more advanced features to help you truly optimize the temperature setting to save you the most money. 

5. Seal up the leaks

 The older your home, the more likely cold air is seeping outside. Install new weatherstripping and caulk around doors and windows. We recommend getting a home energy audit from your utility provider to find all these leaks and to find the best things you can do to make your home more energy efficient. 

6. Replace older air conditioning units with energy-efficient models

 Just like newer furnaces, today’s air conditioners really do work much more efficiently than older ones. If you fear you’re paying too much to keep your house cool, it would be worth asking an HVAC Comfort Advisor (we have some!) for some options.

7. Call an HVAC technician to tune-up your air conditioning unit

 Regular inspection and maintenance is vital to keeping your air conditioner working at its best. If you suspect that it’s not cooling properly, a technician will be able to determine whether there’s a problem other than it’s a really hot summer. 

Have Questions About Your Cooling System?

We have answers!  Whether your energy bills are skyrocketing this summer or you’re not sure if your AC is functioning optimally, we can definitely come out to your home to provide you with a consultation.  Just call our office to set up an appointment, and we can look at the big picture to give you plenty of options to help save you money on keeping your home cool this summer!