Texas Heat & How to Save on Your Energy Bill

inspect your AC & program your thermostat for energy efficiency

If you haven’t been feeling it already, it is in fact the middle of summer. That Texas summer sun is H-O-T! Though the heat can make you want to hibernate inside for sure. While you are enjoy the AC inside your home, you will want to be thinking about the cost of your energy bill. Since those energy bills can be astronomically high in the summer, regardless of who your energy provider is, here are some tips to help reduce the cost that you spend on cooling your home.

1 - Rethink Your Indoor Temperature

For many, keeping the house around 70-72 degrees is the ideal temperature. When it’s 105 degrees outside, your air conditioner has to work in overdrive trying to make up the 30 degree difference. The main cost of your summer energy bill is due to the fact that air conditioning needs to be running to escape the heat. So if you can handle to set your thermostat to 78 degrees, you will help yourself out by reducing the amount of energy your air conditioner will need to use to keep up. Another theory is that if your AC is running all the time to maintain a temperature, it is keeping an even keel versus turning it too high and then it has to have to work double time to catch up to the new temperature when you get home. Either way, try to find a comfortable temperature and program your thermostat accordingly.

2 - Program Your Thermostat

The beautiful invention of the programmable thermostat makes it so you can adjust your home’s temperature depending on the time of day, without having to think about it three times per day. When using a programmable thermostat correctly, you could be saving approximately $180 per year, according to the Energystar.gov website. That is a significant savings! Setting up your thermostat to coincide with the temperatures outdoors can help you save without even thinking about it more than once per season. Making adjustments for when you are at work and at night can minimize the amount that your air conditioning system has to work unnecessarily.

3 - A/C Maintenance

One of the most straightforward ways to help you save on your energy bill is properly maintaining your air conditioning system. Ensuring that you air filter is clean will help with the efficiency of airflow. Having an air conditioner check-up done out of season can help prevent you from scorching when the heats comes and will save you money because they aren’t as busy. Finding a reputable HVAC company and setting up your biannual maintenance will save you money and time and prepare you before the season hits.

Improve the circulation in your home with ceiling and standing fans

4 - Air Circulation

Earlier there was mention of keeping your home’s temperature around 78 degrees. If that still seems too hot for you, flick on the ceiling fans in your home. Having good air circulation will make you feel cooler. The use of fans takes far less energy than adjusting your thermostat a few degrees. Plus, it helps to circulate the warm air and cool air plus provides a nice breeze.

5 - Cover the Windows

One of the ways that your home can heat up is when the sunlight is directly pouring in through the windows. When this happens, the heat from the sun floods the house and it causes greenhouse effect, where the heat gets trapped inside. By closing the blinds or shutting your curtains, especially in areas where the sun is directly shining in, it can help block out the heat and keep it outside where it belongs.

Should you have any questions about your home's energy efficiency or maybe want a full house inspection to see where your home is inefficient, feel free to call on A-Action Home Inspection in the greater Houston area and schedule your home inspection today. We look forward to helping you stay cool this spring, summer and fall!