5 Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill This Summer
Stay cool this summer without breaking the bank
Summer in Georgia (or anywhere in the Southeast!) makes having a way to stay cool an absolute necessity. The tradeoff on staying comfortable indoors during the summer months means having a noticeable increase in your electric bill every month. Can you lower your electric bill this summer without sacrificing comfort? Yes! In fact, we have five ways to lower your electric bill that are simple and can be implemented quickly. Keep reading to see which one you can try first!
Invest in a Smart Thermostat
As much as we would like to be, most of us are not at home all day during the summer. If you're in and out of your house regularly throughout the day, that means you don't need to hold your house at an optimal temperature all day. Smart thermostats allow homeowners to set a varying cooling schedule for their house that keeps the temperature comfortable when people are home and moves the temperature to a more energy-friendly temperature when the house is empty. Smart thermostats also help you use your house's HVAC system more efficiently, prolonging your system's life.
Check Your House's Ductwork
When was the last time you had your house's ductwork inspected or cleaned? If air-conditioned air is trying to make its way through clogged ducts, it will take longer for rooms to receive the cold air they need to reach the ideal temperature. This means your HVAC system works longer than it should, meaning higher energy consumption and cost. In addition to being clogged and dirty, your house's ductwork could also leak, resulting in rooms not cooling as quickly as they should. Have your house's ductwork inspected yearly to ensure everything is clean and clear!
Have Your House's HVAC Unit Inspected
The real MVP of summer is your house's HVAC system, so make sure it stays happy and functional! Start by keeping your HVAC filters on a regularly changing schedule. You're running the system more during the summer, which means it will increase the amount of air it filters. Make sure your air conditioning unit has plenty of space around it for air to flow, and clean up any debris that might land on it like leaves or twigs. Save yourself the hassle of remembering when you last had your HVAC system inspected and sign up for Shumate's Signature Member preventative maintenance program. A Shumate technician will check your HVAC system twice a year and inspect, clean, and tune up every part of the HVAC system.
Use Fans Around Your House
Ceiling fans in Georgia homes are about as expected as door knobs on doors. And there's a reason they're so popular: they can have a huge impact on cooling your home. While ceiling fans won't ever be able to eliminate the need for air conditioning during the hottest months of the year, they are beneficial at distributing air conditioning around your home. Ceiling fans use considerably little energy to run, so don't be afraid to leave them running 24/7. If you have rooms in your house that you don't use enough to justify cooling them, you can leave a ceiling fan running in the room and shut the vent fans. This will keep the air circulating the room but won't waste costly air conditioning on an empty room.
Avoid "Peak Hours" of Electricity Usage
Did you know that there are peak hours of energy usage? Utility providers keep track of the hours the power grid is being drawn on more—and then charge more for usage during those peak hours. By adjusting your cooling schedule to fit as many of the "off-peak hours" as possible, you should see a noticeable monthly reduction in your electric bill. Contact your energy provider to learn more about peak hours in your area.
At Shumate, we are here to help keep you comfortable in your home in various ways, from HVAC repair and replacement to handyman services and plumbing and electrical repair. Call us today at 678-SHUMATE or schedule online and a member of the Shumate team will be glad to help keep you comfortable this year!