Looking to lower your cooling costs without the expense of replacing your air conditioner? While South Florida’s tropical paradise is beautiful, the rising cost of electricity is less than desirable. It’s nice to flip that switch and have the convenience of cool air but ACs here work hard and rarely get a break.
According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, cooling can account for more than 40% of your electric bill. There are steps you can take to lower your power bill without investing in a new AC right now.
Tips for Lower Cooling Costs
Ready to save some cash on your upcoming electric bills? Follow these simple energy-saving tips to reduce your air conditioning costs, even in the summer heat. Many involve simple habit changes that require little effort.
Adopt Good Energy Habits
Making changes to lower your utility bills don’t have to be costly. Here are several free ways to reduce energy usage without spending a dime.
- Close your blinds and curtains: Sunlight on your windows enters your home as heat. Blackout curtains and blinds, especially on your south—and west-facing windows, can block the sun’s heat (solar gain) and reduce energy loss.
- Raise the thermostat: Each degree that you increase the temperature setting helps save on your power bill. If you’re not going to be home, raise your thermostat so you’re not spending money on cooling your home that no one is in.
- Turn off the lights: Lights produce heat and can increase the temperature of your space. When a room is unoccupied, turn off the lights to keep your AC from working to offset the heat unnecessarily.
- Use appliances when it’s cool: Try to limit using heat-generating appliances like the oven, dryer and dishwasher during the heat of the day. Running them when it’s cooler outside helps reduce your AC’s workload and decreases your electric bill.
- Flip the switch on exhaust fans: Exhaust fans are often forgotten about, but they are beneficial when cooking or showering. Use your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans to remove heat and humidity to help maintain a comfortable temperature without overworking your AC.
- Use ceiling fans: Turning on your ceiling fans in the rooms you are in can drop the temperature several degrees. You can even raise the thermostat approximately 4 degrees without sacrificing comfort and boost your energy savings.
- Turn off electronics: Devices like TVs and gaming consoles put off a noticeable amount of heat, especially in small rooms. Give your AC a break by turning off your electronic equipment when not in use.
Invest in Affordable Upgrades
Not all upgrades need to cost a fortune. Spending a few bucks can help you save on your cooling costs.
Here are a few budget-friendly upgrades that can lower your AC energy consumption:
- Install a programmable thermostat: Swap your manual thermostats for a programmable one. You can set your thermostat based on your schedule and cut costs by up to 10% when you increase the indoor temperature while you’re away.
- Stick to your AC maintenance schedule: Your HVAC system requires regular checkups by a professional to ensure it is running at its optimal. Maintenance visits also allow your HVAC tech to identify and resolve minor issues before they become costly problems. Proper maintenance helps improve your system’s efficiency, keeps energy usage down, and extends the life of your equipment.
- Clean or change your air filter: In Florida, air conditioners are used heavily and keeping the filter fresh helps the AC work efficiently. A dirty filter can stifle air flow and make the AC work harder to cool, increasing electric bills.
- Seal any leaks: If your home has leaks around the windows and doors, it can affect your AC’s ability to keep your home cool. Leaks let cool air escape and hot air can sneak in so resolve those to limit your energy consumption.
- Tint your windows: Reflective window film reflects sunlight, blocking the sun’s heat from entering your home. This helps keep your living space cooler, leading to lower electric bills.
- Upgrade to LED bulbs: LED bulbs are much cooler to use than traditional incandescent bulbs that produce heat.
Home Improvement Investments
If you have the budget to make significant improvements, here are several upgrades that will increase your home’s value and lower your AC bills.
- Attic insulation: Attics are notoriously hot spots in homes, especially during extreme Florida summers. Poorly insulated ones can allow heat to transfer to the living space. If you don’t have thick insulation covering the attic space, it’s time to call in the pros for an upgrade.
- Throw some shade: Plant trees to provide natural shade from the sun’s heat and lower the temperature around your home. Exterior shades such as awnings, pergolas, porch roofs, shutters, louvered Bahama shades, and roll-down solar shades all help protect your home from the hot Florida sun, keeping your living space cooler.
- Upgrade old windows: Older windows leak, letting heat sneak into your home. New, energy-efficient windows can reduce heat transfer and improve your AC’s efficiency. Insulated impact windows offer energy efficiency, insulation and hurricane protection.
- New roof: Choosing a lighter shade shingle or investing in a cool roof can help lower energy use by reflecting sunlight and preventing excessive heat absorption. This can help reduce strain on your HVAC system and lower your energy bills.
- Paint your house: Painting your home a lighter color helps reflect the sun’s rays and reduce cooling costs. Darker colors absorb heat and increase interior temperatures, which increases your AC’s workload.
You Don’t Need to Buy a High Efficiency AC to Lower Cooling Costs
If you have a well-maintained air conditioning system, the recommended changes will only help improve its cooling efficiency and reduce your electric bills. By creating new habits like using fans when you’re in a room, closing your blinds and using heat-generating appliances at night, you can quickly lower your AC’s energy consumption without installing a new unit.
Keeping up with your air conditioner’s filter changes and routine maintenance will significantly improve your system’s performance. If you find your AC constantly needs repairs or your electric bills won’t come down no matter how many changes and upgrades you make, it may be time to look into replacing your current system. New systems can be costly upfront, but before you make the investment, make sure your system has been thoroughly inspected and its performance evaluated by a professional HVAC technician.
