Summer Utility Savings Ideas

Summer brings long evenings, backyard dinners, and kids home from school. It can also bring the year’s highest electric bills, especially in hot climates where the air conditioner runs from morning to night.

The good news is that staying comfortable and keeping costs reasonable can go together. These ideas focus on keeping heat out, cooling smarter, and trimming water use, along with a few simple habits the whole family can help with.

Keep the heat out first

The cheapest cooling is the heat that never gets inside. Sunlight through windows is a major source of summer heat gain, so start there.

• Close blinds, shades, and curtains on east-facing windows in the morning and west-facing windows in the afternoon.
• Consider light-colored or insulated curtains for the sunniest rooms. Reflective window film is another option for windows that bake all afternoon.
• Seal gaps around doors and window air conditioners so cool air stays in.
• Plan for shade. Awnings, patio umbrellas, and over time, well-placed trees or shrubs can shade windows and outdoor units.

Cool smarter with your thermostat and fans

Set it a bit higher. Every degree you raise the thermostat in summer can reduce cooling use. Find the warmest setting that still feels comfortable, and nudge it up further when no one is home. A programmable or smart thermostat can handle this automatically.

Use fans to feel cooler. Ceiling and portable fans don’t lower the room temperature, but the moving air makes people feel cooler, which may let you raise the thermostat a little. Turn fans off when you leave the room, since they cool people, not spaces. Make sure ceiling fans spin counterclockwise in summer (looking up) to push air down.

Help your AC run efficiently:

1. Replace or clean the filter monthly during heavy use.
2. Keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves, grass clippings, and plants.
3. Don’t block indoor vents with furniture or rugs.
4. Schedule a tune-up before the hottest weeks, if you can.

The Department of Energy’s Energy Saver site has more detailed guidance on air conditioning, fans, and window treatments.

Use the cool of the evening and morning

In many places, summer nights and early mornings are much cooler than afternoons. When the outside air is cooler than inside, and humidity is comfortable, open windows to let the house flush out heat. Then close windows and coverings before the day warms up to hold that cooler air in.

A window fan placed to pull cool air in on one side of the house and push warm air out on the other can speed this up.

Rethink heat-producing chores

Many household tasks add heat your air conditioner then has to remove.

• Cook outside or cook small. Grilling, slow cookers, air fryers, and microwaves add less heat to the kitchen than a full oven. Summer is a great time for no-cook meals like big salads and wraps. Our Food & Meal Planning section has ideas.
• Run the dishwasher and dryer in the evening, and air-dry dishes.
• Line-dry laundry outside on sunny days. It’s free, and clothes smell wonderful.
• Switch to LED bulbs, which give off far less heat than older incandescent bulbs.
• Turn off electronics and gaming systems when they aren’t in use, since they also add warmth.

A sample summer day plan

Here’s how one household might put these ideas together on a hot day. Adjust the times to your climate and schedule.

• 6:00 a.m. Open windows while it’s cool. Water the garden.
• 8:30 a.m. Close windows and blinds on the east side before the sun gets strong.
• Noon Thermostat set a few degrees higher while everyone’s out at camp or the pool.
• 2:00 p.m. Close west-facing curtains.
• 5:30 p.m. Grill dinner outside; skip the oven.
• 8:30 p.m. Run the dishwasher. Open windows once the outside air cools down.

Save water in the yard and at home

Summer often means higher water bills, too, mostly from outdoor watering.

• Water early in the morning, when less evaporates. Avoid watering in the heat of the afternoon or on windy days.
• Water deeply and less often, which encourages deeper roots.
• Use mulch around plants and garden beds to hold moisture.
• Check sprinklers and hoses for leaks, and adjust heads so they don’t water the sidewalk.
• Use a rain barrel if your area allows it.
• Fill a kiddie pool once and keep it covered between uses, rather than refilling it daily.

Indoors, fix running toilets and dripping faucets. They waste water all year, not just in summer.

Talk to your utility before the peak

Before the hottest months arrive, check what your utility offers. Use this list as a guide:

• Is budget billing available to even out summer spikes?
• Are there rebates for smart thermostats, fans, or efficient air conditioners?
• Does the utility offer time-of-use rates or peak-day programs?
• Are there bill assistance or payment arrangement options?

If keeping up with cooling costs is a strain, help may be available. The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can help eligible households with home energy costs, and in some places that includes cooling. Availability, eligibility, and timing vary by state and can change, so check the official page or contact your local agency. You can also dial 211 or visit 211.org to find nearby resources.

Enjoy the season

A comfortable summer home doesn’t require a sky-high bill. Block the sun, let fans and cool nights do some of the work, move hot chores to cooler hours, and water wisely. Small habits like these add up over a long season.

For year-round strategies, read our guide on ways to reduce your monthly utility expenses, and grab the seasonal checklist on our Guides & Tools page.