How to Automate Your Central Air Savings in 5 Minutes a Day

1The Right Thermostat Setting for Central Air Savings

Setting your thermostat a few degrees higher when you're home, and letting it rise more while you're out, cuts how hard your central air works.

Every degree you raise the setting during summer trims your cooling run time. A home set near 78°F during the day instead of 72°F puts far less strain on the compressor, the part of your AC that uses the most power.

1. Set your thermostat a few degrees higher than usual during the day
2. Let it rise several more degrees when nobody is home
3. Bring it back down about 30 minutes before you need it cool

2AC Maintenance That Actually Lowers Your Bill

A dirty filter or a blocked outdoor unit forces your central air to run longer for the same amount of cooling.

A clogged filter forces the system to pull air through a blocked path, so a technician doing a tune up almost always checks it first. A one inch filter is inexpensive and takes only a few minutes to swap, but a dirty one can make the unit run far longer than it needs to.

1. Check your air filter and replace it if it looks gray or clogged
2. Clear leaves, grass, and debris from around the outdoor unit
3. Close vents and doors in rooms you are not using

3Cash Back on Electric Bills Through a Savings Membership

Some savings memberships give you cash back on bills you already pay, including your electric bill, on top of whatever you save from your AC habits.

Say your electric bill arrives after a month of normal use. A membership like this doesn't change your usage, it works after the fact by returning part of what you already paid. It works alongside thermostat changes and maintenance, not instead of them.

4Peak Hours and Why Your AC Costs More at Certain Times

Running central air during the hottest part of the afternoon usually costs more than running it earlier or later, because many power companies charge more during peak hours.

Afternoon hours, often from around 2pm to 7pm, are when demand and prices are highest in many areas. Cooling your home earlier in the day and raising the thermostat slightly during that window is a common way to dodge the higher rate.

1. Check if your power company lists peak and off peak hours
2. Cool your home earlier in the day before the peak window starts
3. Raise the thermostat a few degrees during the priciest hours