How to Keep Your Cool When Summer Heats Up

Summer has arrived and it’s heating up here in South Carolina. My air conditioning unit already seems to be working over-time to keep my 50-year-old house cool. I found some things we can do to keep our AC units running smoothly and to try to keep our electricity bills down.

1. Install a programmable thermostat. I found this one at Target.com for $79.99. This allows you to program a higher temperature when you are away and a lower one when you are home.

2. Use fans. This is a good way to fool yourself into thinking your home is cooler than it is.

3. Raise the temperature. Increasing your thermostat can save big bucks. For every degree under 78, expect to use 3-4% more electricity.

4. Don’t cool the whole house. Only cool the rooms you use by closing doors and closing registers to limit air flow.

5. Add attic insulation. This is a fairly easy and cost-effective way to save energy costs. For help on calculating just how much insulation you need, check out the Department of Energy website.

6. Plant shade trees. This will block sunlight from hitting your home.

7. Pull drapes and curtains. Keeping out the sun will keep your home cooler.

8. Clean your air conditioner unit. Using a garden hose, wash off the condenser coils each year. This will help the unit run more efficiently.