Cut your Cooling Costs

Summer is definitely on its way, which means plenty of outdoor activities, sunbathing and fun summer picnics. Unfortunately, the heat can cause your wallet to take a major hit. Fortunately, there are a few tips that can help you cut down on your cooling costs this summer.

Perform regular maintenance on your unit. Some people are reluctant to call in a professional every six months, for fear of being ripped off or to avoid the cost, but a well-maintained unit will run much more efficiently, saving you money. Replace the filter every month during the hotter seasons and have your unit professionally serviced before the hot summer months.

Turn off lights when you aren't in a room. Not only are you wasting electricity, but by keeping lights on, you're producing extra, unnecessary heat.

Plant trees for shade, it can actually reduce your cooling costs by up to 30%!

If you have an A/C unit, more isn't always better. You should base the size of your air conditioning unit on the size and square foot of the rooms that you need to cool. Other factors may affect the temperature of the room are windows, and which direction the room faces, since the sun can heat a room up very quickly. An A/C unit that's too big for a room will actually work harder, which will cost you more money.

Seal up sir leaks in your home. Potential leaks could be cracks around windows and doors.

Keep your air conditioning condenser in a shaded place. Also, give it room to dispose of the heated air that it's removing from your house. It may not be attractive to have it out in the open, but it works more efficiently that way.

Since your air conditioning unit must remove the heat from your home, try to avoid cooking or producing extra heat.

That's one reason why grilling in the summer is so great!

Install fans in each room if you're currently without. Running a ceiling fan in conjunction with your A/C allows you to run it up to five degrees higher with the same result.