Summer energy bills can be expensive when the summer heat kicks in! If you’re environmentally conscious and also looking for ways to save money on your energy bill, there are several easy ways to make a noticeable difference in your monthly utility bill. When you’re ready to start helping the environment while saving money at the same time, consider the following tips.

How to Save Money on Your Summer Energy Bills

Turn Off Appliances at Night

Leaving all of your electronics plugged in 24/7 might not seem like a problem, but it actually eats up more energy than you might imagine. Even when your appliances are turned off, leaving them plugged in uses up a small amount of energy and causes your utility bills to creep up. To start doing everything you can to conserve electricity, walk through your home each night and unplug all devices.

Schedule Routine Inspections of your HVAC System

As the summer months approach, you’re likely cranking up your air conditioning unit to stay cool. While it’s certainly important to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home, it’s just as crucial to ensure that your AC unit isn’t working harder than it needs to. To keep everything up to date and working efficiently, schedule routine air conditioning maintenance. If you find out that your air conditioning unit isn’t working effectively, it might be time to upgrade to a more energy efficient system.

Use a Programmable Thermostat

If you hate coming home to a warm house after work, you might be able to benefit from a new programmable thermostat. When you invest in this high-tech feature, you’ll be able to come home to a cool house in the evening without tearing through your utility budget. Instead of cooling the house for an entire day, the thermostat will switch on and start cooling off the house just a few minutes before your arrival. Here are some tips from Energy.gov to help with your summer energy bills.

Use the Cold Wash Setting to Save on Summer Energy Bills

Are you tired of shrinking or discoloring your clothes in hot water? If so, skip the hot setting and opt for cold water settings to save on summer energy bills. Your clothes don’t need to be washed in hot water, and you’ll actually be able to preserve their lifespan when you’re gentler on them. Instead of washing in hot water and tossing them into a dryer immediately afterward, take the strain off of your electricity bill and use cold water. After the clothes are clean, skip the dryer and use a clothesline outside. This is much better for your energy bill, and your clothes will smell nice and fresh.

Skip the Dishwasher and Air Dry Dishes

It’s a convenient feature of modern dishwashers to dry the dishes while they’re still in the dishwasher. However, drying dishes this way quickly adds onto your monthly utility bill. When you’re interested in doing everything you can to be gentle on the environment and your electricity bill, turn off the auto dry setting and set the dishes out to air dry. You won’t notice much of a difference in your daily routine, but you will notice a smaller utility bill. Plus, you can add another load of dishes in sooner rather than later to make your household chores more efficient.

Install New Energy Efficient Windows

Homes lose a lot of hot or cold air out of windows, and installing energy efficient windows can make a huge difference in the energy efficiency of your home. In the past, windows were too thin and poorly insulated, causing a lot of sunlight to enter and warm the home. Now, there are several types of energy efficient windows available on the market. No matter what your style is, there are windows to suit your home and your budget. When you’re truly committed to reducing your energy bills, installing energy efficient windows is one of the best things you can do to improve your home.