How to save money on air-conditioning bills in Philly - The Philadelphia Inquirer

How to save money on air-conditioning bills in Philly
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The most efficient ways to use your air conditioner and save money on energy bills

Pro tip: Turn off the A/C when you’re not home to save money and consider a PECO home energy assessment

Philadelphia summers are notoriously hot, and this summer is no different.

From today through Saturday, the region will be under heat warnings with temperatures possibly reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Plenty of residents will be cranking the A/C up to cool down, which means energy bills will rise too.

The Inquirer has reported on the most efficient ways to use your air-conditioning system, plus how to save money on energy bills when it’s hot out.

Don’t make the air-conditioner do all the work when there are plenty of ways to cool down your home without it. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, up to 76% of sunlight falling on a home’s windows enters as heat, so equip windows with screens and draw the curtains during a heat wave. Relaxing in lower levels of a house will be cooler, with the basement being the coldest. If there’s enough space or property, planting more trees can provide shade.

Here are ways to save money on home energy costs during a heat wave.

When a team of architectural and building systems engineers studied this exact question, they found that in many cases turning off the A/C when leaving the house for the day saves up to 11% on energy savings compared to leaving the A/C on at a consistent temperate all day. However, they noted, “the energy savings may decrease if the home is better insulated, the A/C is more efficient, or the weather has less dramatic temperature swings.

Here’s an explainer on why it’s cheaper to turn the A/C off when leaving the home for the day vs. keeping the A/C on.

Last year, Inquirer reporters tagged along with PECO home energy assessment specialists to find out how to get energy assessments of a home and save money on the energy bill. There are three different types of home energy assessments in Philadelphia: free energy check ups for low-income households, basic assessments for $49, and premium assessments for $99 that include a blower door test and thermal imaging. PECO customers can schedule an assessment online or by calling 1-888-573-2672.

There are also tips to save energy in each room of a home, including the kitchen, bathrooms, and upstairs. Plus advice on getting smart thermostats for central A/C systems.