- Starting with your air conditioning unit, a big-ticket energy user, change your AC filters every month. It’s true — clean filters means your AC unit does not have to work as hard to cool your home.
- Check the rating of your AC filter. Believe it or not, a higher number isn’t always better. The minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) ranges from 1-12. A higher number means better filtration, but it also requires more energy to pull air through, resulting in a bigger bill. Unless you need a higher-number filter, consider one rated between 6 and 8 or check your HVAC manual for best practices.
- Stock up on clean filters so you can replace them every month during the summer. A dirty filter slows airflow, forcing the AC to use more energy.
- Get an inspection of your air conditioning unit.
- Don’t block the supply and return air vents in your home with furniture or by closing them off. Blocking the vents makes your AC work harder.
- In summer, set your thermostat between 78 and 80 degrees when at home and above 80 degrees when away, especially from 3 to 7 p.m. Can’t stand 78 degrees? Go someplace cool during the hottest part of the day: the library, grocery store, mall, gym, coffee shop.
- Place lamps and TVs — anything that generates heat — away from internal thermostats.
- Supplement your air conditioning with ceiling fans to increase comfort.
- Keep window coverings closed on south, east and west windows and definitely if you’re leaving the room. Heat has already entered the house through windows so consider blocking the sun’s radiation from windows and glass doors from the outside (read more outdoor tips below).
- Avoid using appliances that warm up your house — such as your oven — during the summer and instead use the microwave, stovetop and outdoor grill.
- Use your dishwasher but skip the dry cycle. Also, try to run a full load. Washing dishes by hand doesn't necessarily mean you will use less water.
- Run your clothes washer, dryer and dishwasher after dark to keep heat and humidity out of the air.
- Summer is also a good time to hang laundry outdoors. If your neighborhood has clothesline restrictions, use drying racks that can’t be seen over a fence or set them up in the garage or a back room.
- Turn on your bathroom fan while showering or taking a bath to remove heat and humidity.