In Minnesota, we are lucky to have exceptional summers. Nothing beats spending the day on the lake and coming back to your comfortable, air-conditioned home. Air conditioning is both a luxury and a necessity, but you may be alarmed when higher electricity bills hit during the summer months. Don’t worry – you don’t have to sacrifice your family’s comfort in order to keep your energy costs low. Here are three tips that can help you save on your electric bill for the rest of the summer.

Frequently Change Your Filters

You may not know this, your HVAC filters should be changed or cleaned once a month. When you have dirty filters, it clogs the openings and prevents airflow, forcing the appliance to work harder as it attempts to filter air through dust and dirt. Because of this, you’ll waste a lot of additional energy, leading to a higher electric bill. By simply changing or cleaning your filters regularly, you’ll save money and keep your system running efficiently.

Install A Programmable Thermostat

A money-saving device that we always encourage our clients to install is a programmable thermostat. These devices work to prevent heating and cooling waste, which in turn can save you a lot of money long-term. With a programmable thermostat, you’ll be able to set temperatures according to your schedule, leading to reduced waste and all-around comfort. With some models, you can even adjust the temperature of your home when you’re away through your smartphone. We can install these thermostats for you easily; we have a variety of brands and models to choose from depending upon your specific needs.

Turn Off and Unplug Unused Devices

These tips shouldn’t be new to you. If you are leaving for the day and do not plan on being back for a while, go around the house and turn off all of your lights. Why light up your home when no one’s there? To follow that, many of us have a large number of plug-in appliances, devices, and the like that may be using up energy even when they are turned off. If they are not in use, unplug them. An efficient way to do this is by utilizing a power strip; by plugging multiple devices into a power strip, you can “unplug” them all in the flip of a switch. While you are in the process of turning off and unplugging, consider your air conditioning. Do you need to run your AC while you’re out? Rather than letting your air conditioning unit cool an empty home all day, adjust your thermostat on your way out the door.

Call Us Today

At Northern's One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning®, we always want you to help keep your home as energy efficient as possible. If a problem with your AC unit arises or you need to schedule routine maintenance, call us at (763) 284-8639.