Tips to lower your energy bill in the Arizona heat

Does your summer electric bill make you groan? Are you looking for effective ways to reduce your bill?

Any Arizonan could tell you that their electric bill skyrockets as the state’s temperature does the same each summer. Most consumers struggle to avoid the high energy cost during the state’s hottest season, even though the average price for a kw/h in Arizona is lower than the national average.

With these tips from Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing, you can see why lower summer electric bills might be closer than you think.

Keeping your house livable and your energy bill low is a difficult balancing act. To help, use these tips to stay cool without breaking the bank.

Change your air filter

Changing your heating, ventilation, and air conditioner system’s air filter on schedule is as crucial as changing the oil in your car.

All the dirt, dust, dander, and pet hair that circulate throughout your house pass through the HVAC filter. A dirty filter prevents sufficient air from passing through your system, resulting in low or no air filtration and increased strain on your system’s mechanical parts. This can lead to premature mechanical failure, which is the last thing you want to have happen in the middle of summer.

Change your filter every 15 to 60 days, depending on pollution levels, allergy issues, and how many pets you have, according to our local A/C expert, Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing.

Use a smart thermostat

Smart thermostats help you determine what temperature to keep your house throughout the day and help you create a schedule. For example, you may set the temperature higher when you’re not home and lower when you’re sleeping.

With the convenience of a mobile app, you can also direct your air conditioner to begin cooling before you head home from work, so you walk into a more comfortable temperature.

To save even more — as much as 10% per year — set your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees from its normal setting for eight hours a day, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Indoor temperatures between 68 and 78 degrees tend to be the most comfortable and efficient if you want to save on electricity without baking in your house.

Run your air conditioner when you’re away

Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t turn off your air conditioner when you’re on vacation.

“Shutting it off creates issues within the home,” Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing owner Jeff Martin says in a video. “You can cause damage to hardwood floors, to paintings on the wall, candles will melt, all kinds of things like that.”

Jeff recommends setting your air conditioner to no more than 90 degrees when you’re away to avoid problems.

“If it’s really hot in your house, your refrigerator will struggle to keep your food cold,” he says. “You can actually do more damage to things inside your home by leaving it off completely.”

Home improvement tips

If you have an old or drafty house, a lack of insulation drives up energy use. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can prevent the outside heat from making it inside, according to Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing:

• Plant trees near windows to provide shade.
• Add light-colored drapes and blinds to inside windows.
• Mount a shade screen on window exteriors.
• Replace single-paned windows with dual-paned or triple-paned windows.
• Add insulation in ceilings and walls.

For more information on how to save money on your electricity bill this summer or to schedule an appointment, visit DayAndNightAir.com.