How to Use Your Air Conditioner Economically and Save on Your Electric Bill

There are plenty of ways you can get creative when it comes to staying cool and saving money.  But when the heat of summer truly hits, sometimes it may seem like your best bet is cranking up the AC. Learning how to save money with your air conditioner can help you, uh, keep your cool when it comes time to pay the electric bill.

While running an air conditioner certainly costs a bit more than your usual ice fan hack, you can reduce the cost by doing things like closing off vents and rearranging furniture. As high temperatures are rapidly becoming more frequent and more dangerous in certain areas of the country due to climate change, maintaining a comfortable temperature at home is a must — as is reducing overall energy consumption.

To get you started, here are 15 simple, expert-backed tips for running your air conditioner and cooling your home in the most responsible, comfortable, and economical way possible.

Sure, central air conditioning units are fairly smart, but they don’t know what’s causing heat—they just know it’s hot. According to 21 Celsius, an appliance repair and installation company based in Melbourne, Australia, items like lamps, TVs, or other electronics get warm, and having them near an air conditioner or thermostat can make the air conditioner think the room is warmer than it is.

If your AC is outside roasting in the sun, it’s not going to run nearly as well as if it were in a shaded area. 21 Celsius also recommends using an awning or other form of cover to keep it from overheating.

Grimy AC filters can contribute to a system working overtime. Air conditioning company Daikin says that replacing and cleaning your air conditioning filter is essential to a healthy, well-maintained system—which saves you money in the long run.

Danny Pen, president of New Era Plumbing & HVAC, says that when a filter is clogged, it causes restricted airflow, which results in increased energy consumption and higher cooling bills. His recommendation is to check filters once every month and replace or clean them if they are visually dirty. 

HEPA filters with a MERV rate between 8 and 13 would be a good choice for most homes, balancing air quality and the system’s efficiency.

There are quite a few things that contribute to extra heat in your home, and according to Brandi Andrews, the founder and CEO at National Air Warehouse, cooking and baking are a main source.

“Another way to keep your home cool without forcing your air conditioner to work overtime is to limit the use of your oven. Try and eat food that requires no cooking, so there’s no heat being created by you,” she says. If you need to cook or do things like iron or run the dishwasher, try to avoid these tasks until evening rolls around, which is usually when the temperature will cool off outside.

Andrews says that sticking with one temperature and staying with it is a smart move when it comes to cooling down a room economically. “Just set your thermostat at a nice comfortable temperature and leave it alone,” she says. “It might take time, but it will [cool off] eventually, and you’ll be engulfed in the perfect temperature. In the meantime, turn on a fan and sit in front of it. A fan can actually help your air conditioner cool the room!”

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation is to keep interiors at 68 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit for healthy adults.

Older people are more sensitive to temperatures and may feel uncomfortable at temperatures lower than 68 degrees Fahrenheit. However, temperatures higher than 72 degrees Fahrenheit might also be hard on their bodies; setting a thermostat between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit would generally be ideal. As for pets, they feel comfortable at the same temperature range as humans.

“Most people think that their HVAC unit alone will address all their heating and cooling needs in the house or apartment. However, you should also consider the humidity level within the living space,” says Ferguson HVAC category sales specialist Jeff Spencer.

“Humidity is a critical component of comfort. Think about when you go to a doctor’s office or hospital, and it feels ice cold; this is because they are removing a lot of the humidity from the conditioned environment.” The solution? Spencer suggests purchasing a dehumidifier to help you cool down the space.

For people with chronic diseases, maintaining proper humidity levels within the norms is what is truly important, says Pen.

While you may want to direct cold air to the hotter parts of your home, shutting too many vents can impact your system. “One of the myths [about] reducing your cooling bills is to block off a room that you don’t use and to close off the vents to this room,” says Spencer.

“However, your system was designed to meet the needs of your whole house. While it may be okay to close off one or two vents, if you close off too many, your system becomes less effective and efficient overall. Instead, close the blinds in the unused room, making sure that there is no furniture over the vents, and close the door.” 

You will see a difference in your electric bill if you’re working with a properly maintained unit versus a neglected one. “The easiest way to run an AC system inefficiently is by letting the cool air escape your house. Getting your insulation checked yearly can save your AC system much wear and tear, not to mention lower your bill. Even a small leak can have a big impact,” says Wesley Martin, owner of JH Martin Mechanical.

Pen agrees, adding that in addition to filters and insulation checks, you should also remember to clean the condenser unit and schedule annual professional maintenance checks. These tasks are important for smooth operation of the system and lowering cooling bills.

“If you are gone for long periods of the day, this is a great investment. Maintaining a house at 80 degrees on a 90-degree day requires much less energy than maintaining it at 72. To be efficient, we only recommend letting your AC system ‘rest’ if you will be out of the house for more than 5 hours,” says Martin.

If your ducts are dusty, clogged, or no longer properly insulated, your cool air won’t be nearly as cold as it can be. Do plenty of research if you’re going to tackle it yourself, but in most instances, calling up your local HVAC company will be your best and safest bet.

It may sound silly, but airflow is something you should think about when you go to set up that new couch or bed frame. Double-check to see if any of your furniture is sitting on top of your central air vents or obstructing the path that cool air uses to get into your rooms. This is a quick fix that makes an instantly noticeable difference.

While it’s nice to come home to a cooled-down apartment, it can be costly for your wallet if you run the AC when you’re gone for long periods of time. If you turn off the air conditioning when you leave, try keeping the windows closed and shades down to prevent your place from feeling like an oven.

When leaving your home just for a few hours, Pen says not to turn your air conditioner off and to instead just set a bit higher temperature on a thermostat. “You may think that this way you waste energy, but in fact you only save energy,” he explains. “This is because your air conditioner doesn’t have to work hard to cool down your home again when you’re back.”

Fans are useful tools for maximizing the reach of cool air from your AC. Strategically placing a few around your home can keep the breeze moving through and costs a lot less than blasting the air conditioning all day.

Pen explains that with ceiling fans, your air conditioner runs shorter cycles because the air is circulated more efficiently, keeping the room cooler. Shorter cycles = less energy used and a longer lifespan of the AC unit.

One of the most impactful ways to reduce your energy bills long term generally requires investment in energy efficient appliances such as heat pumps and induction stoves, says Max Veggeberg, CEO and founder of Tetra, an HVAC services company.

“Heat pumps are becoming an increasingly popular method to heat and cool your home, and come with generous government tax credits and incentives courtesy of the Inflation Reduction Act,” he says. “Renters can utilize home electrification appliance rebates and home efficiency rebates that provide upfront generous discounts (up to $14,000, depending on your income), for the purchase of energy efficient products like HVAC systems.”

Homeowners and renters switching from a furnace and traditional AC to a heat pump will reduce their carbon emissions two times more than removing a car off the road, Veggeberg says.

In addition to taking advantage of tax credits, a proactive renter can approach their landlord to have an open conversation about other available incentives such as the HOMES program or the HUD’s green and resilient program for the landlord to utilize when making upgrades, Veggeberg adds.

“It is difficult for many landlords to prioritize heating and cooling updates over more aesthetic upgrades — such as a new coat of paint or improved landscaping — because these upgrades are primarily invisible,” Veggeberg says. “But a renter can emphasize not only that they value these types of upgrades, but prefer them over more superficial ones. These upgrades also add more long term property value for the landlords.” 

He adds that you might also consider negotiating with your utility provider or utilizing retail energy partners to better manage your energy costs, especially during peak hours. Try reaching out to one of several third party retail energy providers that will negotiate on your behalf, such as Constellation Energy and Public Grid.