7 Tricks to Lower Air Conditioning Costs for Energy Savings

May 24, 2022

Try these easy wayS to increase your summer energy savings and save on air conditioning costs

Summer is in full swing, and everyone’s taking advantage of lots of time outside. Whether your sunny days are spent grilling, gardening, visiting the beach, or hanging by the pool, don’t let the heat increase your summer energy expenses.   

Replacement Windows in columbus ohio

How to Save Energy on Air Conditioning

According to the US Energy Information Administration, air conditioning costs make up about 12% of U.S. household energy bills. The cost for home cooling jumps in the summer months. Thankfully, there are a few tricks you can try to save energy on air conditioning – and lower your air conditioning costs while you’re at it. 

New windows in kentucky with prairie grids and parts of a window

Better WindowS Boost Energy Savings

Windows are the easiest place for the sun’s oppressive heat to enter your home – and older, inefficient windows let in tons of heat. 

If you feel an uncomfortable amount of heat when standing next to your windows, it’s time to upgrade to windows with high-tech glass that reflects sunlight away from your home.

Performax54 windows are a great example. Their high-efficiency, Thermostat glass works with your home by reflecting the sun’s heat away from the house during the summer, lowering your dependence on the AC, and reducing your air conditioning costs. In the winter, this smart glass technology actually allows a small amount of heat to pass through the window for passive heating. Upgrading to energy-efficient windows with Thermostat glass helps with energy savings all year long!  

Try Air Sealing to save energy on air conditioning

Eliminate Air Leaks. Remember when your dad used to say, “I’m not paying to cool the outside!” He had a point: Keeping windows and doors closed helps keep conditioned air inside, where it belongs.

But are you paying attention to other spots where hot summer air makes its way into in your home? A gap as small as 1/16-inch around a window is the same as having a brick-sized hole in the side of your house!

Window Replacement Process

Take time to look for gaps, drafts, and “hot spots” that you can eliminate with a few easy steps. 

  • Use metal tape to seal holes in your AC ductwork so cool air doesn’t leak out of the ducts before it reaches the rooms in your home.
  • Add weatherstripping around doors to seal the openings.
  • Use spray foam insulation to fill gaps in exterior walls, like those around outdoor spigots or furnace venting.  
Summer energy savings

And if you do invest in new windows to help improve your energy savings, be sure to learn about your window replacement company’s approach to air sealing during installation. 

READ: We Fix Drafty Windows in 3 Steps 

What should My Summer Thermostat Settings Be?

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting the thermostat to 78 degrees during the day in the summer months. Does that sound high? Consider the energy savings! DOE says you can save as much as 10% annually on home cooling and heating bills by making thermostat adjustments (like raising the temperature in the summer) for 8 hours a day.

Here are some tips to help move the needle on your summer thermostat settings.

5 ways to Keep the House Cool Without AC

1. Install Programmable Thermostats. A programmable thermostat makes it so easy to raise your thermostat temperature, you might not notice it’s happening. With set-it-and-forget-it programming, just set the device to 78 degrees while your family is away at work or school, and you’ll start saving. Be sure to do the same when the family is on vacation and the house is empty!

Most programmable thermostats will let you add multiple setpoints everyday, so you can schedule your home to be at a comfortable temperature when you return. If you can’t make the jump to 78 degrees all at once, try making adjustments one degree at a time until you find the top of your comfort zone. 

summer months save energy on air conditioning and save heating costs this winter with winter maintenance

2. Switch Your Ceiling Fans. Most ceiling fans feature a switch to reverse the fan’s direction in the summer and winter. This is a great way to keep the house cool without AC, save energy on air conditioning, and lower your air conditioning costs.

In the summer, fans should run counterclockwise to provide a breeze for the people below. With the AC off and fans used wisely in occupied rooms, you’ll know you’re not paying to cool unused spaces.   

3. Check Your Attic Insulation. While the summer sun is beating down, pay attention to the top of your house. Heat moves toward cold, so as your attic space heats up, make sure you have plenty of attic insulation in place. Attic insulation acts as a barrier between your 150-degree roof (yes, it gets that hot!) and your living space in the mid-70s. A quick survey of your attic insulation can help you spot where to improve the buffer between conditioned and unconditioned spaces, and boost your home comfort so your AC can take a break.

4. Plant Shady Landscaping. Investing in shade-providing landscaping around your home can help keep the summer sun at bay. Strategically placed shade trees also add curb appeal to your home, while knocking down some of that hot sunlight from entering your home in the first place.

Of course, shade trees can take time to grow in. Adding awnings, pergolas, porches and other structures can have the same effect faster. 

How to keep house cool without AC during summer months

Switch to LED Lighting. If you haven’t already made the switch from incandescent light bulbs, summer is the time to do it. Did you know an incandescent bulb’s primary output is actually heat, not light? It’s true! Reduce unnecessary heat brought into your home, and add to your energy savings, by replacing incandescent lightbulbs with fluorescent or LED bulbs. 

READ: 5 Bathroom Lighting Solutions

Your home should be a comfortable place to get away from summer heat. And with these tips and tricks, you can feel confident that your budget for summer fun doesn’t get spent on your air conditioning costs 

Give ImproveIt a call today or fill out the form below to learn how we can help you save money on your energy bills all year long with new windows! 

Call/text me about your current products, services and promotions. By checking the box, I would also like to be called/texted in the future about new products, services and promotions. I can be reached at the phone number(s) I listed above.

Pataskala, OH
Kitchen Refacing & Countertop Replacement
Sue & Terry Ogle
Lancaster, OH
Outdated Bathroom Update
Susan & Don Amrine
Columbus, OH
Walk-In Tub Installation
Loretta Seipel
Cincinnati, OH
Tub-Shower Combo
Dylan Luman
Beavercreek, OH
Steve Hildenbrandt
Columbus, OH
Tub-Shower Replacement
Brittany & Randy Van Sickle
Hanover, OH
Window Replacement
Teddy & Maxine Jump
Frankfort, KY
Window Replacement
Sarah Puttoff
Springfield, OH
Window Replacement
Sheila Albin
Newark, OH
Tub-to-shower conversion
Jack & Maribeth Stover
Circleville, OH
Accessible Shower
Krista Bower
Fairfield, OH
Hopper Window Replacement
Issac & Isabella Garcia
Englewood, OH
Window Replacement
Joyce Stewart
New Paris, OH
Tub-Shower Replacement
John Newman
Bellefontaine, OH
Tub-Shower Combo
Kay Marquis
Mt. Washington, KY
Tub to Shower Conversion
Tom & Georgia Breeding
Mt. Washington, KY
Window Replacement
Tom & Georgia Breeding
Springfield, OH
Tub to Shower Conversion
Jim & Khristeene Richards
Waldo, OH
Garden Tub Removal
Ted & Wanda Davis
Hamilton, OH
Garden Tub Removal
Gibbs Family
Westerville, OH
Tub to Shower Conversion
Carol & Robert Young
Grove City, OH
Tub to Shower Conversion
Michael & Sharen Huffman
Louisville, KY
Window Replacement
Sarah Whittle
Tipp City, OH
Window Replacement
Tabitha Bundenthal
Cincinnati, OH
Window Replacement
Cheryl Raine
Hebron, KY
Window Replacement
Karolyn & Richard Malsi
Cincinnati, OH
Window Replacement
Deedra Rainey
Etna, OH
Bathroom Remodel
Gary & Melody McCardle
Etna, OH
Window Replacement
Gary & Melody McCardle
Marion, OH
Bathroom Remodel
Josephine & Charles Wiseman
Pickerington, OH
Window Replacement
Alan Lancaster
Pickerington, OH
Bathroom Remodel
Alan Lancaster
Upper Arlington, OH
Shower Remodel
Laura & Blake Williams
Marysville, OH
Bathroom Remodel
Amy & Alan Henderson
Columbus, OH
Window Replacement
Bonnie Morgan
Louisville, KY
Window Replacement
Sharon McDermott
Galloway, OH
Window Replacement
Paul Gray
Marysville, OH
Window Replacement
Linda Fyffe
Reynoldsburg, OH
Window Replacement
Keith & Carol Crabtree
Delaware, OH
Bathroom Remodel
Robert & Eileen Richardson
Columbus, OH
Bathroom Replacement
Joanne & Charles Duncan
Whitehall, OH
Bathroom Replacement
Jennifer Baldwin & Mike Ray
Check out some of our
favorite projects!

See What Our Customers Have to Say

BBB
Rating
A+
Google
Rating
4.7
Facebook
Rating
4.7
Facebook
Rating
A
Guild Quality
Rating
4.8
Improveit Home Remodeling Improveit Home Remodeling
Enter For a Chance to Win a
$45,000
Home Makeover
Improveit Home Remodeling
4580 Bridgeway Avenue, Ste B, Columbus, OH 43219
Contact Us
8930 Global Way, West Chester, OH 45069
Contact Us
110 Citizens Blvd, Simpsonville, KY 40067
Contact Us
7200 Poe Ave Suite 102, Dayton, OH 45414
Contact Us
110 Citizens Blvd, Simpsonville, KY 40067
Contact Us
Bathrooms Windows Kitchens