Summertime is great for families. The kids are out of school and on break. The days are longer, and the nights are shorter. It almost seems too good to be true.
And then you’re hit with that high AC bill, and realize… it is. Suddenly, keeping the house cold as an icebox doesn’t seem like the great idea it initially was.
You don’t need to blast your AC this summer to keep you and your family cool.
So if you’re trying to save money, follow these next few guidelines that will help you stay chilly, without having to bring the temperature down to arctic levels of freezing.
Learn proper AC maintenance for the summer, and how to get creative when you’re in a bind.
If your house has been feeling warm, it could be a broken AC unit
If your house has been feeling warm, despite the reading on the thermostat, this could very well be an AC maintenance issue. Instead of buying a new unit, which is expensive and impractical, conduct a proper and routine check. Replace the filters and inspect the vents. Look for obstructions and excess dirt. Then, clean them out and run the unit again.
You want to get into the habit of doing this monthly.
However, if it’s still not working, then you may need to call an HVAC contractor or HVAC company to take a better look at it. After all, HVAC systems require two major inspections every year.
If they discover an issue far beyond anything regular AC maintenance can repair, it may be time to invest in a new AC.
AC repair
You can always try to repair your own AC, but you may actually create more irreversible damage and lose money in the process if you don’t know what you’re doing.
You’ll save money when you call the professionals over to inspect and fix the AC. So if you spot a potential problem, you may think DIY-ing a solution would be more money savvy, but that’s exactly the opposite.
Make sure your home is properly insulated
If your heating and air conditioning bill has been shooting through the roof and you have no idea why it may be your home’s poor insulation.
Most of a home’s heating and cooling is lost through the windows. So if you live in an older home, you may want to swap them out for a more energy-efficient alternative.
Also, make sure the attic is properly insulated to avoid wasting more money on heating and cooling.
Alternative ways of staying cool for the entire family
If conducting routine AC maintenance checks, and shopping for energy-efficient windows doesn’t sound like the most enjoyable way of spending your summer, no worries. Here are some more fun ways of staying cool this summer. You can even involve the kids.
Try making popsicles at home. Put blends of fruit juice in an ice tray and see what kinds of tasty new flavors you can come up with.
These treats will be sure to cool you off when the sun is at its highest point in the sky.
You can also take your children to the community pool, so they can splash around and make some great summer memories.
These options both fun for the entire family and suitable for all budgets.
Conclusion
From AC maintenance to making and enjoying cool treats with your family—these are just a handful of ways you can save money on your cooling bill every summer.
When you have a family, living expenses can get quite high, but by following these guidelines, you can ensure that your AC bill stays low and that your house will still feel like a great escape from the sweltering heat.