With summer on the horizon and recent years bringing unusually intense spring and summer heat across much of the United States, air conditioners and fans are expected to work overtime—consuming more electricity to keep homes cool and comfortable.

Greater electricity usage means higher monthly energy costs, but there are a few ways to both beat the heat and save energy costs during the hot seasons. While having a comfortable temperature is essential, it’s also important to manage your home to keep regular expenses down to an affordable level.

Following below are 13 tips that could help reduce energy costs for your home this summer while still keeping things comfortably cool:

1. Do not let the sunshine in—close shades and drapes to stop furniture and rooms from absorbing heat from sunlight. Keeping them closed during the day on sun-facing windows reduces indoor heat gain, while closing them at night helps insulate against cooler air.
2. Plant bushes or trees in front of windows to block sunlight during the hotter months. Deciduous varieties are especially effective, offering shade in summer while allowing sunlight through in winter.
3. Lay off the layers—wear shorts, short sleeve shirts or blouses, and other lightweight clothing to stay cooler indoors. Light, breathable fabrics help your body stay comfortable even when the thermostat is higher.
4. Be a fan of fans. If you are working from home or otherwise will be sitting for several hours, a small electric (but energy-efficient) fan can help keep you cool and still use less electricity than an air conditioner. Also, a ceiling fan may keep a room cool enough that the thermostat can be turned up to save on air conditioning energy.
5. Be consistently chill with your air conditioning upkeep—stay current with the regular maintenance schedule on your air conditioner (AC) and air ducts. Follow the recommended cleaning and maintenance schedule for your home air conditioning system. This may include tasks like cleaning (and possibly lubricating) fans, motors, and vents; having air ducts, registers, and grills professionally cleaned; and checking the thermostat's temperature sensors for any performance issues. For external, freestanding AC units, be certain to remove any dead leaves, sticks, grass, pine straw or other debris that have fallen into it through its exterior grill bars.
6. Tamp the damper—reduce cooling loss from the fireplace by keeping the flue damper closed. An open damper can let cool air escape just like an open window.
7. Raise the temperature a little. Bump the thermostat setting up several degrees—not much, perhaps 5^o+—so the home is slightly warmer.
8. Do not be afraid of the dark—turn off lights in empty rooms and use lamps rather than larger, whole-room lights. Lighting empty rooms wastes electricity, and the lights may also generate some small amount of unwanted extra heat. Rather than using larger ceiling lights to brighten a room, use area lamps.
9. Use washing machines and dryers at night. There is usually less demand for electricity during off-peak nighttime hours; consequently, it may be cheaper—and therefore smarter—to run appliances like clothes washers, dishwashers and dryers. Appliances can also generate a bit of heat in the room when they are in some washing and drying phases, so it is better to have the waste heat in the home in the evening hours when it may be cooler.
10. Replace any older incandescent or fluorescent light bulbs with newer, cooler, energy-saving light emitting diode—LED—lights. LED lights are cooler to the touch, brighter, more energy-efficient and often longer-lasting than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. In 2023, the federal government banned several types of incandescent bulbs because they were inefficient in the light they produced for the electricity they consumed. Be brighter and cooler with LED bulbs!
11. Cook in the great outdoors. Using stoves and ovens indoors can warm the air around the appliance, and then the air conditioner may have to work harder (and use more electricity) to compensate for the increased temperature. Cooking with an outdoor grill or smoker during warm weather may help save a little bit of energy. Microwave ovens are energy efficient and also do not generate much ambient heat in a kitchen, compared with conventional ovens.
12. It does not compute to leave your home or work computer turned on 24 hours a day. While many current (and older) computers warranted having the U.S. government’s ENERGY STAR registered trademark for energy efficiency, they are still using electricity. If you are not using your computer all day and all night, turn it off when it is not in use. Also, a lot of computers (including laptops) generate heat and have fans to exhaust the heat from the chassis into the surrounding area; so that’s more warm air blowing into a room that needs to be cooled.
13. Maybe your refrigerator is too cool for you. Check your refrigerator settings so they are not on the highest settings but manufacturer-recommended settings. If your refrigerator is freezing liquids or foods then it is too high, and your freezer should be set the lowest level to freeze food and keep it frozen.

Interested in more money-saving suggestions during different seasons?

The Delta Community Credit Union blog has some other ideas on managing money during the summer:

• Getting Your House Ready for Warm Weather
• 10 Spring Home Tips to Save Summer Money
• 9 Easy Home Improvements for Less Than $150 Each
• Home Improvements That Deliver the Best R.O.I.
• Tips to Manage Holiday Spending–Part 1
• Tips to Manage Holiday Spending–Part 2
• Are You Holiday Shopping? Price Match to Save Money!
• Smart and Safe Buying on Black Friday and Cyber Monday
• Having a Simpler, Less Expensive Thanksgiving
• Managing Holiday Stress
• Helping Others During the Holidays with Charitable Donations
• Avoiding Holiday Shopping and Identity Fraud

Do you need some free advice on how to achieve better money BALANCE™

BALANCE™ is a financial education and counseling organization that offers free services to Delta Community members. Some of its services include credit report reviews, debt management, and information on budgeting, money management and home buying.

Visit the BALANCE™ website to learn about their education and assistance programs. Members can also speak with certified credit and housing counselors to get personalized guidance.

Want to connect with a Financial Coach about your specific situation? Chat online, e-mail, or call 1-888-456-2227 to speak with a Financial Coach today.

Note that the services offered through BALANCE™ are separate and distinct from any business conducted with Delta Community and are not guaranteed by, nor are they obligations of, the Credit Union.