I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the past couple of days have been H-O-T!!! With weather this hot, cooling bills can be astronomical. In fact, the EPA estimates that the average household spends over $1,000 a year on heating & cooling costs annually. In our region, heating and cooling costs are pretty much split evenly since we enjoy all four seasons and that means that the cooling costs can really add up, but if you’re willing to put in a little bit of effort, there are ways to reduce your cooling costs. First, and most obviously, you can up the temperature you set your thermostat to by 1 or 2 degrees. If you normally keep the temperature at 70, try it at 72. Even if you run a fan to adjust to a warmer temperature, the savings can still equal over 10% of your heating bill. If everyone is out of your house during the day, programming the thermostat to be even higher during the day and kick in the a/c about an hour before you come home. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, get one! Older thermostats alone can cost you $150 or more in energy costs. I just had the thermostat in my home replaced, and I can already tell you I’ve seen an increase in savings in the past month! Cleaning you’re a/c will also save you money. Be sure to change the filter monthly for even greater savings. Seal any air leaks in your home to help save more – check windows, door frames, and seals around attics and crawl spaces especially. Lastly, if you’re able to prevent your home from heating up you will need to run your a/c much less often. Try tips like closing curtains during the day and avoid using hot appliances such as ovens and dryers as much as possible. When you do need to use them, try to use them during the early morning or evening when it isn’t as hot. Replacing an old a/c unit with a new energy efficient model can add up to significant savings too, but with the cost of a new system it could take a season or two for the savings to kick-in. Still, it might be something you want to consider. Happy savings and good luck keeping cool in this summer weather!