MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — With the heat on the way, air conditioners will be cranking Tuesday, and that drives up your home energy bills.
Alan and Nancy Helfinstine already have a plan for this summer’s heat
“We might bump our thermostat up a few degrees to save a little on energy,” Alan, from Brooklyn Center, said.
Experts say air conditioning accounts for more than 40% of homeowners’ energy use in the summertime. Here are some tips on what you can do to keep your energy costs low when it’s heating up.
“So much energy comes from inside your home in the summertime,” Dean’s Home Services marketing director Steve LaTart said. “Especially your electric bills.”
First, make sure your air conditioner can work efficiently, by replacing dirty filters and cleaning off the outdoor coils.
“If there is more dirt inside your house that air isn’t able to go through as smoothly as you like it to,” LaTart said.
If you’re going to be gone in the day, experts say it can be more energy efficient to leave the thermostat at a lower consistent setting rather than letting it up in the house all day and trying to rapidly cool it down when you get home.
Aside from the air conditioning, LaTart says now is the time to make sure your ceiling fans are turning the right way.
“You want counterclockwise in the summertime, and clockwise in the wintertime,” he said.
A fan turning counterclockwise will help create a downdraft for a cool breeze.
Try to avoid opening the fridge as that takes up energy, too. Unplugging any electronics and appliances that aren’t in use can also help.
LaTart says homeowners should also make sure their AC is working before a heatwave as home repair services get backed up during those times.
