Escape the heat and save money

Spring is in the air and for most of us, that means things are starting to heating up! As the air outside gets hotter, so do our homes, and we begin running our AC’s more and more. Then our rising utility bills show up and after seeing how much our comfort costs, we may even attempt a few miserable days of no AC and “grinning and bearing it,” until we can’t take it anymore and begin blasting the HVAC unit again. And so, it goes all through the summer until the cool breeze of fall finally relieves us and breaks our pricey cycle. But it does not have to be so expensive to be comfortable this season. Here are some simple ways to stay cool while saving money on your energy bills.

1. Install a smart thermostat — Smart thermostats are a great way to make your HVAC usage more efficient. Rather than keeping your AC blasting all day while you are away, you can remotely set your smart thermostat to begin cooling down the house just before you return home. You’ll still be able to come home to a comfortable climate without wasting the energy on cooling an empty room.

2. Make use of your outdoor barbeque — On those sweltering summer evenings, skip the stovetop or oven and cook your dinner outside on a barbeque – not only is bbq fare delicious, but it will also save on electricity and spare your AC unit from having to work overtime to keep your home cool.

3. Add curtains or blinds to your windows — Keeping your windows shaded during the day will prevent the sunlight from heating up your home. Add some blackout curtains for the most effective shading and keep them drawn during the day. On nights when the outside temperature drops after sunset, open the windows and let the night breeze cool down your home naturally.

4. Run certain appliances later at night — Appliances like dishwashers and clothes dryers give off heat and will cause your AC to have to work harder to keep your home cool during the day. Not to mention that some regions charge a “time-of-use” rate which may increase your price per kW used. Running these appliances at “nonpeak” times may help keep your energy bill lower. You can save even more energy by skipping the appliances altogether, and hand-washing dishes and hang-drying your clothes.

5. Turn off fans when you leave a room — Fans don’t actually cool down a room, they only add a breeze that makes us feel more comfortable in the heat. Therefore, it is unnecessary to leave a fan running when there are no people around. Save energy by turning off your fans whenever you leave a room and make sure all fans are off when you leave your home.

If you adopt these tips and habits into your lifestyle this season, you are sure to beat the heat without spending a fortune on energy bills.

Looking for a smart thermostat for your home? Check out our Zen Thermostat. It is easy to install, connects to your home Wi-Fi, and you can control through your Amazon Echo or Google Home.

Own a business? Check out our solution for commercial buildings, Zen HQ.

By
Adam Paul