Let Bundled Help You Save Money On Your Electricity Bills This Summer!

It’s finally Summertime Chi! With the temps rising, many of us turn to our air conditioners as our main resource for keeping our homes cool. Even though the costs of running our AC throughout the day may seem minor compared to facing the hot sun & heat, it does actually add up rather quickly. Running the average AC unit for 24 hours a day can increase your utility bill by nearly $200 a month. But here at Bundled, we care about helping you to save your money & would like to share some cost-effective measures to conserve electricity and reduce your bill while still keeping cool in the Chicago heat.

1. Keep your windows closed & locked during daytime hours. By sealing your house during the day and opening windows once it cools off at night, your AC will run more efficiently and you will lose less cool air to the heat outside. Try to work it into your routine by closing the windows when you wake up in the morning and opening them up again when the temp drops/sun goes down. Turning the AC on during the day and keeping it off at night or on the lowest setting could be super helpful.

2. Use Sun blockers. Surprisingly, up to 20% of the heat transfer into your home comes through the windows in the form of direct sunlight. By installing blinds or window shades (preferably white to reflect sunlight) over the East and West windows of your house to keep the sun out can help keep extra sunlight heat out of your home.

3. Turn your AC off when you are not home. As nice as it is to come home to a cool house, a well-maintained AC unit can cool your house off comfortably within 10-15 minutes. By turning off the unit when you’re away, you can reduce your electricity costs significantly. If you have furry friends at home- remembering to at least lower your AC to the most comfortable yet sustainable temperature will help as well.

4. Run your appliances at night. Dishwashers, ovens, and laundry machines all generate heat while they’re running on their cycles. By transitioning your use of these to the evening hours, you can avoid adding unnecessary heat to your home that makes your AC unit run overtime to compensate for.

5. Clean your filter. By cleaning your AC’s filter at least once a month during the Summer season, you can ensure that it will continue working at full efficiency. Normal dust build-up in the filter can reduce airflow by a full percent each week.

6. Change your light bulbs. If your house is fitted with incandescent lights, you are using 75% more energy and your lights produce 90% more heat. While the heat from a light bulb may seem insignificant in comparison to the heat outside, it will still impact the cooling temp for your AC. By switching over to fluorescent light bulbs, you can save dramatically.

7. Use a fan or two. Rather than relying solely on your AC unit to keep cool, try using a fan to aid in the cooling and staying comfortable in your home. An electric fan uses a minimal amount of electricity while still providing great cooling benefits to a small area. Running a fan in any room you’re in will allow you to keep the AC on a low setting or even completely off in the evening.