How Back-to-School Season Can Save You 10% on Cooling Costs

July 27, 2017

The new school year brings new expenses. So, if you’re like most parents, you’re probably looking for ways to save some money.

We have an easy money-saving tip for you: Simply raise your thermostat 7°–10° Fahrenheit while you’re gone during the day to save up to 10% on your cooling costs.

What does that look like in dollars? For a typical family, turning the thermostat back for 8 hours a day can save you up to $180 per year.

Let’s go into more detail about this energy-saving tip...

How raising your thermostat by 10° saves you money

Here’s how it works: When you set your thermostat to a higher temperature, your AC uses less energy to cool your home.

And less energy used by your AC = more money saved on your energy bill.

According to Energy.gov, “the smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be.”

If your kids are back at school, and you’re at work, that means no one will be at home. You don’t need a cool home when everyone is gone, so why not turn up the thermostat to save some money?

Here’s how it could work with a hypothetical daily schedule:

You wake up at 6 am, get yourself and the kids ready for work/school
Before you leave out the door at 7:30 am, you turn your thermostat up 10°
When you and the kids get home around 5:30 pm, you turn your thermostat back down to your desired temperature, and then repeat the same schedule the next day.

Pretty simple, right? The only thing you have to do is remember to raise your thermostat before you leave home.

But if you’re worried about forgetting or turning this tip into a habit, there’s another solution...

Skip the hassle: Install a programmable thermostat

A programmable thermostat

Programmable thermostats automatically adjust to your desired home temperature, based on your daily schedule.

You don’t have to remember to set your thermostat, because your programmable thermostat does it for you. That means you can save $180 per year without even lifting a finger to control your thermostat.

Programmable thermostats also provide more comfort. Instead of having to wait until you get home to turn down the thermostat, you can program it to start cooling down your home 30 minutes before you get home. So, when you walk through your front door, it feels like your home—not a sauna.

For more information about programmable thermostats, check out these related articles:

Other ways to cut cooling costs

Energy.gov recommends these additional summer energy-saving tips...

Open your windows to gain cool air at night

Temperatures in Florida cool off by a few degrees at night during the summer. Try opening your windows at night or turning off your AC to take advantage of the cooler temperatures.

If it’s too hot to open windows or turn off your AC at night, raise the temperature by a few degrees to save money.

Keep blinds and curtains closed during the daytime

Drapes, blinds, and curtains keep the heat out of your home during the day, which means your AC won’t have to work as hard to cool your home.

Bonus tip: Consider investing in light or medium-colored drapes. According to Energy.gov, “medium-colored draperies with white-plastic backings can reduce heat gains by 33%.”

Use fans to cool your home

Fans are an easy and inexpensive way to make your home feel cooler. You can raise the thermostat about 4° without feeling any reduction in comfort when you use a ceiling fan.

Keep your cooling system running efficiently

When your AC isn’t running efficiently, it wastes energy. Make sure your AC is running efficiently by following these 2 recommendations:

Change your air filter once a month in the summer. If your filter is dirty, it reduces airflow to your AC system, which means your air conditioner has to work harder to cool your home.
Schedule your annual AC tune-up: If your AC hasn’t had an annual tune-up, you should have a professional look at it to make sure everything is fine. Over time, AC parts can get dirty or break, which forces your system to work harder to cool your home. During a tune-up, an AC professional will clean and check those parts to make sure they’re in tip-top shape.

Looking for more ways to save money on cooling costs?

We’d be happy to share more with you. Just give us a call or drop us a line.

Interested in a programmable thermostat? We can help with that too. Contact Cool Today to schedule a programmable thermostat installation.

Posted in: Tips