Summer officially arrived June 21, and people across the country can expect the temperature to rise somewhat sharply over the next few months. That means millions of Americans – including those in the military – will be relying on air conditioning to keep them cool in the sweltering heat, even with the understanding that doing so can be costly. To that end, it's important to keep in mind that there are plenty of ways to run these appliances without breaking the bank.
Perhaps the easiest way to do so is to know when air conditioning is actually needed, according to Good Housekeeping. That means on days when it's not north of 85 degrees, maybe just turning a fan on instead, or setting the air conditioner to turn off at a certain time every night. Likewise, leaving the AC on when no one is home is a huge waste of both energy and money, so avoiding that habit is vital to keeping cooling costs down.
Air conditioning doesn't have to be expensive.Keeping good order
In addition, when installing the air conditioner for the summer, it's important to inspect it carefully, swap out or clean the air filter and make sure it's not getting worn down from years of use, the report said. If a window or floor unit AC is getting up there in years and perhaps not working as efficiently as it used to, swapping it out for a new, more energy-efficient model – and often, today's smaller units work more effectively than the big clunky ones available in the past – is often a good idea.
When making an upgrade, it might also be wise to invest in a connected "smart" air conditioner which can be controlled directly from a smartphone or other portable device, meaning that even if people forget to turn off their ACs on the way out the door, they can still turn them down, according to Bankrate. Keeping up with these issues can cut cooling costs by as much as 15 percent.
Little-known facts
One tip many people may not know, however, is that it's important to monitor humidity on a daily basis, Bankrate noted. In general, it may seem like a good idea to always keep the AC's fan on "high," but when it's humid, the fan should actually be set on "low," because as air spends even a little more time in the unit, the equipment will do a more effective job of removing the moisture from it and making people in the room or home feel more comfortable.
Furthermore, it's smart to make sure all blinds are closed so that sunlight can't heat up a room either, according to Simple Most. In addition, making sure all air vents and doors are closed and properly sealed – so that the AC isn't working overtime to cool areas where people won't be – will likewise keep those costs down.
Finally, it might also be a good idea to spend a little less time indoors during the summer anyway. Enjoying the outdoors, going to a local beach or even just going to the movies to enjoy the AC there for a few hours will be a fun and productive way to while away those long summer afternoons.
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