Summer’s here – and with it comes summer cooling bills. If you want to keep those bills under control, try these six tips:

1. Direct the flow of cool air –Keep vents closed in unused areas of the house – especially ones that tend to be cool anyway, such as your basement.
2. Keep vents clear – Avoid blocking vents with furniture or other objects (why pay to cool the back of a sofa?).
3. Keep temperatures moderate – On hotter days, aim for a temperature in the 78-degree range, which will help you balance performance and comfort. Remember: it’s the contrast between temperature inside and outside your home that makes you feel cool, not the absolute temperature inside the house.
4. Program your thermostat –Why pay to cool the house when you’re not home – or when you’re sleeping? Turning down your thermostat by just a few degrees can shave 10 percent of your bill – which means that programmable thermostat could pay for itself in as little as single cooling season.
5. Install reflective window treatments – If you reduce the greenhouse effect in windowed rooms, your A/C won’t have to work as hard – which means lower bills, less maintenance, and a longer life for your cooling system.
6. Use ceiling fans – Running your ceiling fan in conjunction with your air conditioner can allow you set your thermostat a little higher with no change in comfort. That can save you hundreds of dollars in a cooling season.

Want another great way to save energy this summer? Upgrade to a new high-efficiency central air conditioning system! Your new system could pay for itself in just a few years. Contact Fredericks for a FREE estimate today!