Keep Your Home Cool this Summer for Cheap

The summer heat might be a welcome change after winters brutal temperatures--until the electricity bill arrives.

When you think about summer, 55% of your total utility bill goes to cooling, says home improvement expert Danny Lipford. [Your air conditioner is] the highest use system that you have in your home all year round. It only makes sense to take steps to make it more efficient and work less to drive that cost down.

You can lower your cooling costs by 30 to 40% by making your homes systems work efficiently and tweaking your behaviors, experts say.

The obvious cost-cutting tip is being mindful of a homes temperature. After all, every degree that you turn your thermostat up will save you money.

Here are experts money-saving tips that will keep you cool this summer and your budget intact:

Use Ceiling and Exhaust Fans

Running a fan counterclockwise will have a cooling effect of six degrees, but they wont lower the rooms temperature, according to Lipford.

Since a fan saves you money only when the room is occupied, be sure to turn it off when you leave.

To keep moisture at bay, turn the range fan on when cooking and run the bathroom fans during and 10 to 15 minutes after a shower. The moisture in the house makes it harder to keep it cool and causes your air conditioner to work more, says Lipford.

Dont Block Registers in Your Home

Excerpt from:
Keep Your Home Cool this Summer for Cheap