Lower Your Cooling Bill This July

July is officially here. The sun is baking the pavement, the humidity is climbing, and your air conditioner is running like it is training for a marathon.

While you are trying to stay comfortable, the real stress hits when you open your electric bill. Keeping a house cool in the dead of summer is incredibly expensive. But before you resign yourself to eating ramen noodles just to pay the utility company, take a deep breath.

You do not have to sit in a boiling hot living room to save a few dollars. Lowering your cooling costs comes down to helping your system work smarter, not harder. Here are five simple hacks to slash that July energy bill.

1. Block out the Sun

The sun beaming through your windows is beautiful, but it acts exactly like a greenhouse. That radiant heat warms up your floors and furniture, forcing your AC to kick into high gear to fight it off.

• The Fix: During the hottest parts of the day, close the blinds and draw the curtains on your south and west facing windows. Blocking the direct sunlight is the easiest way to naturally drop the temperature of a room by a few degrees.

2. Swap Your Dirty Air Filter

Your HVAC system is essentially a giant breathing machine. If the air filter is completely clogged with dog hair and spring pollen, the blower motor has to pull twice as much electricity just to force the air through the dust.

• The Fix: Go to your utility closet right now and check the filter. If it is gray and heavy, throw it away. A fresh, clean filter allows the air to flow freely, cooling your house down faster and significantly lowering your daily energy consumption.

3. Use the Wind Chill Factor

There is a massive misconception about ceiling fans. Fans do not actually lower the temperature of a room. They just cool the skin of the people sitting in the room.

• The Fix: Make sure your ceiling fans are spinning counterclockwise. This pushes a column of air straight down, creating a wind chill effect that makes you feel up to four degrees cooler. Just remember to turn the fan off when you leave the room. Cooling empty furniture is a waste of electricity.

4. Nudge the Thermostat Up Two Degrees

We all want our homes to feel like a meat locker in July. But setting your thermostat to 68 degrees when it is 95 degrees outside is financial sabotage.

• The Fix: Nudge the dial up just two degrees. If you normally set it at 72, try 74. Your body will adjust to the slight change within a day, and you can save up to 10 percent on your cooling costs just by closing the gap between the indoor and outdoor temperatures.

5. Clear the Runways

Your AC cannot cool the house if the cold air is trapped behind your furniture. When vents are blocked, the cold air bounces right back into the ductwork, tricking the system into running longer cycles.

• The Fix: Walk through every room in your house. Move the armchair that is sitting directly over a floor register. Pull the heavy curtains away from the wall returns. Give the conditioned air a clear path to circulate.

The Bottom Line

Surviving July does not have to drain your bank account. By blocking the sun, utilizing your fans properly, and making sure your air filter is completely fresh, you can stay perfectly comfortable without the utility bill sticker shock. With FiltersDelivered.com it is easier than ever to order the sizes and MERV ratings you need, with fast free shipping and amazing customer service, we are ready to service your filter needs.

Stay cool out there.