Energy-Saving Tips for Summer 2024: Keep Your Home Cool & Lower Bills

Although I feel like there is no ‘normal’ season any longer, this summer seems notably warmer than years past. And these toasty July days feel like the air conditioning is running all day and night long. I have been experimenting with the various tips on reducing energy usage in hopes that I will lower my AC bill and reduce my carbon footprint. Here are the actions that feel like they are making a difference in keeping my home cooler throughout the day.

Energy Saving Tips for Your Home

Invest in cellular shades: The upfront cost is more than made up by the savings you will receive by regularly closing your shades before the heat of the day settles in. Our bedroom windows face west and by early afternoon, the sun is at its hottest. By closing our cellular shades mid-morning, we are trapping in the cool air and avoiding the increase in indoor temperature. Even if you don’t have the budget to add cellular shades to all of your windows, the south and west facing windows will benefit the most.

Run your appliances before 8 AM or after 8PM: Appliances can increase your home’s temperature by 1-10%. Consider doing your laundry or baking before 8 AM or after 8 PM, or essentially before the sun’s rays begin to intensify and after the sun sets. If you’re located in the western part of the US, that may be later in the evening as the sun doesn’t set until closer to 10 PM. Your energy bill will also go down as energy company’s increase their rates during the peak hours of the day.

Keep your thermostat at a consistent temperature: As tempting as it is to blast the AC during the hottest part of the day, doing so puts a huge strain on your cooling system. Keeping your thermostat at a consistent temperature for most of the day prevents your system from working overtime. If you are someone that prefers a very cool room at night, but is at work all day, consider using the programming function to ensure your home is at a consistent temperature and won’t have to work extra hard to cool a hot home upon your return.

Use ceiling fans strategically: Although ceiling fans don’t cool the air, they circulate it to allow you to feel cooler. Reversing the direction of your ceiling fans will push the warm air down and out which allows your cooling system to run less. Ceiling fans also cost less to run than an air conditioning unit.

Open windows in the cooler hours of the morning: In Colorado, if the summer nighttime temps drop below 55 degrees, I opt to open the windows in the early morning hours to allow the cooler air in. I close them as soon as the temperature nears 60 degrees to avoid the morning warm up.

Add shade near your home: Trees large enough to shade your home take years to grow so if you need a solution that is more immediate, consider adding a covered pergola or sail shade to prevent a lot of direct sun exposure on your home. The south or west side of your home is an ideal place to create a shady area with a patio or deck covered by some sort of shade structure.

Have an energy audit: My local energy company provides an audit that I took advantage of last autumn. I live in a home built in 2000 that does not have the energy-saving bells and whistles that recently built homes have. The energy audit provided me with a list of easy fixes to improve my homes efficiency. The biggest takeaway was that our smart thermostat is helping us save money, and adding additional insulation will be beneficial. Go to your local energy provider’s website and see if they provide rebates or incentives to lower your energy usage. The cost savings can add up quickly.

Pick one tip that fits your home and start this week. Track your next energy bill. You'll likely see savings fast enough to justify the next improvement. Enjoy a cooler summer without the guilt.