Dailey Bailey: Five Ways to Save on Air Conditioning

You’re not gonna want to hear this, but . . . stop setting the thermostat on your AC so low. Every degree increases your bill by 3%. And researchers have found that if you set it a few degrees higher, your body gets used to it in a week or two.

Here are five more things that can help you save money on air conditioning . . .

1. If you haven’t cleaned the filter on your air conditioner since last year, it’s costing you more than it should to run it.

2. Make sure you’re using all your fans. They’re way cheaper to run, so use them to circulate the cold air. And set them to run counter-clockwise in the summer.

3. Make sure you’re not blocking air vents with furniture. And make sure your thermostat is in a good spot. If the sun hits it or it’s in a room that’s warmer, the A/C will keep running even when the rest of your place is cool.

4. Stop cooling down rooms you’re not using. If you have an extra bedroom, keep the door closed. And if there’s an air vent in there, keep that closed too.

5. Keep your blinds and curtains closed. Your air conditioner has to work a lot harder if the sun’s blasting in through the windows.