5 Ways to Cut Your Summer Energy Bill

In the hot months of summer, energy bills can skyrocket with efforts to stay cool.  Here are Zillow's 5 simple ways to cut your energy bill without undergoing renovations.

Clean your filters
A simple cleaning of your filters can help your air conditioning to run more efficiently.  This should be number one on your list, as a clean filter can lower your A/Cs energy consumption by up to 15%!

Some filters can be cleaned, but many have to be replaced.  Central air conditioning filters can be located along the length of the return duct.  Consider cleaning these monthly during the summer months.  Room air conditioning unit filters can be located in the grills that face your house.

Insulate as much as you can
While Chicago residents certainly think about insulation during the winter to keep the cold, sometimes people forget that insulation is just as important during the summer to keep the cold in.  Proper insulation can reduce costs by as much as 20%.

What is the best place to insulate?  Believe it or not, your attic should be one of the first places you start; temperatures can climb up to 140 degrees during the summer, which will leak down into your home.

Shade your windows
Awnings, window shades, and blinds can be an easy energy-saving tool.  While it does not block any actual air from leaking into your home, the shade alone can help conserve your energy.

Awnings are particularly useful in reducing solar heat gain (up to 65% on on south-facing windows, and 77% on west-facing windows).  Keeping highly-reflective blinds completely closed on a sunny day can reduce heat by up to 45%.  Curtains can help too, but their effectiveness varies depending on fabric type, color, and backing.  Drapes with medium coloring and white plastic backing can reduce heat gain by 33%.

Use a Smart Thermostat, and Set it as High as Possible
The ability to program your thermostat can easily help reduce your energy bill.  Set your thermostat as high as possible - the smaller the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures is, the less energy you will be using.

The newest thermostat available, The Nest, is a $250 thermostat which learns your thermostat preferences as you use it.  After about a week, it can anticipate when you will change your thermostat and what you will change it to.  You can also control it remotely from your smartphone or computer.

Turn it Off and Unplug
Plugged-in devices suck about $100 from your bill every year, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  Computers alone can account for 2-3% of your energy bill.  Sleep modes do help, but it is even better to flip off a power strip or unplug altogether.  Consider the Smart Strip which can sense inactivity and automatically flip switches off.