The conundrum that every Californian in Anaheim faces in the summer is how to stay on budget while energy costs rise and event season kicks off? Though they come around each year, the summer festivities in Anaheim always feel like once-in-a-lifetime events. Starting with Cinco de Mayo and ending with the Temecula Valley International Film Festival, with the Taste of Anaheim and plenty of other exciting events in between, Anaheim locals can’t be expected to simply stay in all day to cut costs.
Don’t let your lifestyle take a hit this summer. Instead, save money by increasing your home’s energy efficiency and cutting your energy bill significantly.
How to save money while away from the home this summer
Between a full workweek, errands, nights out, weekend trips and vacations, most of your time is spent outside your home in the summer. Rightfully so in the beautiful SoCal summer season. So what can you do as an Anaheim homeowner, to cut costs while you are outside the home?
Turn up your thermostat
Keep your system running efficiently by sticking to a consistent thermostat setting from the start of the warm season all the way through summer. If you really want to save money, set your thermostat to 78. This is a relatively comfortable temperature for occupants and it prevents the system from constantly running throughout the day and at night. As you spend much of your time away from home during the summer, you’re used to turning up your thermostat to this temperature from a more comfortable 72-74 degrees.
What this does is keeps your home at a consistent temperature regardless of whether you are home or not, without hiking up your energy bill, or requiring your system to re-cool your home each time you come home from work or a larger trip.
When you are home, use portable and ceiling fans strategically to stay comfortable while consuming significantly less energy.
Think energy efficiency with your electronics
Always look for the energy star label when purchasing new appliances or electronics for your home to ensure long-term savings on your monthly bills. You can also use your electronics efficiently by using cool water to clean yourself, the dishes and your clothes, as your water heater can account for up to a quarter of your monthly energy bill. Dimmers can keep your lights from running on full energy consumption whenever they are switched on. LED lights and other more modern versions of common electronics are designed to run more efficiently.
Keep cool air in and hot air out
A home that is not sealed well can literally pour money out of its cracks during the summer months. Your HVAC unit will consistently struggle to keep your home cool if the cold air in your home is escaping through poorly sealed windows and doors and insufficiently insulated attics. Simple weatherstripping and caulk can sure up entryways and windows. Insulation is a larger expense, but investing in proper attic ventilation, insulation and solar barriers can save you bundles in energy expenses in the long-run.
Don’t just shutoff, unplug
Any appliance or small electronic device that is plugged into an outlet will consume energy, even when set to idle or off completely. Keep this in mind as you take trips this summer. While this won’t apply to appliances such as your fridge, chargers, lamps, TVs and computers should be unplugged completely to conserve energy and save money this summer.
Keep your budget on track this summer by utilizing these energy saving tips. If part of your energy savings is upgrading your HVAC system, review the top air conditioning units in Anaheim in our products page and give us a call to schedule an installation.
