Ways To Reduce Energy Bills During Summer Heat

"The summer is when we see homeowners strategizing about how to keep their homes cool and comfortable while sticking to their household budgets," said Michael Williford, HVAC Service Manager at Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. "We work with customers to keep their current HVAC systems running smoothly or upgrade to more efficient systems, which can make a huge difference in their utility bills. In addition, there are many other ways homeowners can keep their energy costs down during the hot summer months."

Consider these smart, practical, cost-cutting tips for dialing down your energy bills.

Use Appliances During Non-Peak Hours
Throughout the course of each day, the demand for electricity moves up and down. During “peak” demand periods – such as summer afternoons when air-conditioning usage is high, for example – the cost of generating electricity is more expensive. There are also daily “off-peak” periods when electricity usage is lower, making the cost of producing electricity less expensive. Time-Of-Use (TOU) Rates provide an incentive to reduce the demand for electricity during “peak” times by allowing customers to pay lower rates for electrical usage during “off-peak” times.

Rather than using stoves, ovens and clothing dryers in the afternoon hours, consider doing so early in the morning or late in the evening. FPL’s “peak” hours vary by the time or year, meaning using appliances that heat up your home outside of this timeframe when conventional cooling systems are likely running full throttle can help lower energy costs.

FPL’s “Peak” Hours
November 1st - March 31st: Monday through Friday between 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. excluding Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
April 1st – October 31st: Monday through Friday during the hours from 12:00 p.m. Noon to 9:00 p.m., excluding Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

All other hours are considered “off-peak” and therefore more expensive to operate your cooling systems.

Service HVAC Systems Regularly
To ensure the best cooling performance and efficiency possible, one of the easiest ways to service your home AC system is to change the filter, this will put less stress on the unit. For more complex issues find a licensed contractor to keep your cooling system well - maintained and serviced throughout the year. There are some tasks many homeowners can handle on their own, in addition to changing the filter, keeping the outdoor units free of debris is also helpful. However, bringing in a professional 1-2 times a year for maintenance and to ensure proper function of ductwork and electrical components is also essential.

Stop Cooling Empty Rooms
One mistake many homeowners make is forgetting to adjust their temperature settings when leaving the house. Whether you're headed to the beach for the weekend or just headed to work for the day, blasting the air conditioner in an empty house can result in unnecessarily high utility bills. Multi-zone, all-electric heat pumps like those from Mitsubishi Electric allow homeowners to set the comfort level and adjust the temperature in each room, so you don't have to waste energy cooling unoccupied rooms. With a smartphone app, you can even adjust the settings remotely.

Upgrade Your Systems to an Energy-Saving Heat Pump
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentivizes homeowners who opt for energy-efficient HVAC upgrades, including qualified heat pumps, which can boost seasonal energy efficiency ratios and increase efficiencies. There are some pumps that provide more energy-efficient cooling that may equal cost and energy savings as well as a reduced carbon footprint for homeowners. These systems are equipped with inverter or variable-speed technology that allows systems to automatically ramp up or down the required amount of energy depending on the room's capacity. Although annual savings vary, some homeowners can save as much as $1,000 per year by switching to an all-electric heat pump.

Fire Up the Grill
When temperatures soar, use the grill for cooking to help lower energy usage and save on air-conditioning costs. Alternatively, toaster ovens, air fryers and slow cookers use less energy than larger conventional stoves or ovens. Get creative by cooking a pizza in a chiminea or smoking favorite meats as alternatives to using your oven.

Install a Smart Electric Panel
Installing a smart electrical panel alongside an all-electric heat pump enables homeowners to monitor and control energy consumption on-site or remotely using a smartphone for better overall efficiency and utility cost savings.

Find more ideas to dial down energy usage (and bills) this summer at: http://MitsubishiComfort.com.