Every homeowner understands that one of the most expensive things about owning a home is the air conditioning. This becomes even more true the hotter it is where you live. Unfortunately, many areas of the country and get pretty extreme temperatures over the summer. In many places, air-conditioning is a near necessity.
If you are concerned about making it through the summer this year without sweating to death, but you also do not want to break the bank with your electric bill, the following tips will help you efficiently stay cool.
How to Survive Summer Without Breaking the Bank on Cooling Costs
Cooling costs often eat up the majority of a person’s electric bill. HVAC units are very energy-intensive pieces of equipment.
If you live in a hot area of the country, then you owe it to yourself to read the following tips so you can keep a reasonable electricity bill all year without having to sacrifice your comfort.
● Thermal Blackout Curtains
We all know that windows are one of the most significant heat transfer sources found within the home. Even if you have already installed some thermal insulating windows, there is still a degree of heat transfer whenever the sun shines through.
You can stop the sunlight from heating your home’s interior by putting up some thermal blackout curtains. These help to absorb and reflect the heat away from your home, helping to keep everything fresh. Blackout curtains help insulate your home and keep your home cool in the summer and warmer in the winter, keeping your Spark Energy bills low. Not only are blackout curtains useful for keeping utility costs down but they are great at completely blocking any light from entering your home. Blackout curtains are a must-have for those who are light sleepers or who suffer from insomnia. Another great investment for restful sleep are cooling or temperature controlled sheets. Contrary to what you may have thought in the past, the lower the thread count the better the sheet can breathe which helps keep you cool at night.
● Upgrade the Climate Control in Your Home
When was the last time you upgraded the HVAC system of your home? If it has been more than just a little while, it is likely not running as efficiently as it was brand-new.
In some cases, older HVAC units can run far less efficiently than a modern unit. If you happen to have an inefficient older HVAC unit, then upgrading your HVAC system in your home could drastically cut your monthly electric bill. Modern HVAC systems are also more environmentally friendly if you are concerned about things like that.
Is It Time for New Windows?
Windows is always going to be the home’s largest source of heat transfer. They offered the least amount of material as a barrier between the interior and exterior of your home. If you are like most homeowners and have single-pane windows, they can leak energy through heat very rapidly.
Installing a new, more energy-efficient window with double panes can help to reduce your monthly electric bill during the peak months of summer. It will do this by allowing your home to keep the cold air inside and the hot air outside.
Keeping Your Utility Bill Low This Summer
Lowering your utility bills depends a lot on your choices. Many electricity providers offer their customers platforms online where they can easily view their electricity usage.
If you are genuinely concerned about keeping your electric bill as low as possible at the end of each month, you should regularly check your total electric usage. If you notice that you are using more electricity than you would like, you can then change your habits before it is too late and you get stuck with a big bill.
George is the CEO of Expat Group Limited, based in Hong Kong.