Americans spend more than $22 billion a year and use a whopping 183 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to cool their homes with air conditioning, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. All that A/C combined with cold-season heating also makes our collective carbon footprint grow ever larger, with the emission of about 129 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. That CO2, of course, contributes to global climate change.
But you can easily limit how much you rely on A/C. Your first step is to run your air conditioner(s) less frequently. "If you're working eight hours a day, why air-condition your house while you're away?" says Christina Kielich, a spokeswoman for the DOE. You can reduce your annual energy bills by about 10 percent by turning up your programmable thermostat 10º to 15º F when you're out of the house, says the DOE. Upon returning home, Kielich says, "Pick a temperature that's comfortable and stick with it."
Remember, electricity prices tend to rise with the temperature, but you can trim your energy bills and still stay comfortable. Ways to cut down on A/C use shows you how to use less air conditioning and cool your home more effectively.
Use your A/C wisely. Installing an air conditioner in a shady spot could increase its efficiency up to 10 percent, according to the DOE. Our latest tests of window-mounted air conditioners found CR Best Buys that cost as little as $240 for a large one. Energy Star-qualified models use about 25 percent less power than ones made before late 2000. Don't lower the air conditioner's temperature when you turn it on. It won't cool the room any faster, but it will use more energy. On humid days, set the fan speed on low to remove more moisture from the air.
Delay the chores. Your dishwasher, washer, and dryer give off heat when they're in use, so run them in the early morning or late evening. Your air conditioner won't have to work as hard to offset the heat produced by the appliances. Other benefits: Running those appliances during off-peak hours reduces the stress on the power grid, helping to prevent brownouts. You might also pay less for the electricity if your utility charges less per kilowatt-hour during nonpeak hours.
Change the lightbulbs. Much of the energy used by incandescent bulbs is emitted as heat. During the day, turn off lights that are unnecessary. Also consider replacing your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs, or CFLs. Energy Star-qualified CFLs use about 75 percent less energy and give off 75 percent less heat to produce the same amount of light as standard incandescent bulbs. Replacing a 60-watt incandescent bulb with a 15-watt CFL can save you up to $41 over the life of the bulb.
Although all the CFLs we tested last much longer than regular bulbs, the Feit Ecobulb Plus ESL13T/Eco, GE 8,000 Hour Long Life 41525, and N:Vision 423-599 lasted longest. (Note that CFLs contain small amounts of mercury. Go to www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling for recycling programs in your area.)
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