5 Unexpected Ways to Save on Cooling Costs

The first day of summer marks the renewed effort to stay cool while battling rising energy costs. Fortunately, people can win the war without comprising their comfort or their wallet.

All one has to do is follow these five unexpected steps. The end result is a cooler home and lower energy costs.

Cool the Smart Way

A smart HVAC control system is one of the best ways to save money and stay cool throughout those scorching summer months.

The key is the programmable thermostat; the smart technology allows homeowners to schedule various temperature settings for different times of the day.

In short, people come home to a comfortable abode without the expense of cooling an empty house all day.

Smart Planning

The temperature inside a home is affected by the amount of sun a house is exposed to during the day. However, homeowners can effectively insulate the interior by planting bushes and leafy trees around the exterior, shielding their home from the sun.

Plants can also help protect the air conditioner from daytime heating, increasing the unit’s efficiency and decreasing cooling costs.

Homeowners should consider the amount of exposure to the sun the west and south sides of their house receive throughout the day. To decrease the heating effect on the interior, avoid using anything that stores and radiates heat, such as cement, rock, and asphalt.

By doing so, one decreases the amount of radiational heating around the exterior of their home, effectively insulating the interior. This simple step helps cut cooling costs and keep homes cooler.

Working with the Sun

Few people consider how their activities impact the HVAC unit’s ability to cool a home. Yet, the smallest things, like using a microwave several times throughout the day, help to heat up a home.

Homeowners can counter this by delaying any activities that may heat up the house, such as cooking dinner or doing laundry, until after the sun sets.

Windows seems to make a home, the various shapes and styles accentuating houses in just the right way. Unfortunately, they can also become the number one cause of interior heating.

However, something as simple as pulling down the shades and closing the curtains helps to insulate the house from daytime heating. It really is the unexpected things that make all the difference in the world.

Want some insight on ways to save in your St. Michael home? Call B & D Plumbing, Heating & A/C at (763) 497-2290 today, and find out how you can save on cooling costs this month!