{"id":5657,"date":"2025-06-27T11:07:39","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T16:07:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/?p=5657"},"modified":"2025-06-27T11:07:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T16:07:47","slug":"stay-cool-and-save-on-electricity-with-these-ac-hacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/stay-cool-and-save-on-electricity-with-these-ac-hacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Stay Cool and Save on Electricity with These AC Hacks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>Lower Your Electricity Bill with These AC Hacks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/stay-cool-PA-AC-hacks-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"These hot AC hacks may help you keep cool for less this summer. Find out great ways to stay comfy while saving energy and money.\" class=\"wp-image-5670\" title=\"Lower Your Electricity Bill with These AC Hacks\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/stay-cool-PA-AC-hacks-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/stay-cool-PA-AC-hacks-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/stay-cool-PA-AC-hacks-230x153.jpg 230w, https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/stay-cool-PA-AC-hacks-350x233.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/stay-cool-PA-AC-hacks-480x320.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/stay-cool-PA-AC-hacks.jpg 724w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption><center><em>Learn how you can stay cool for less this hot summer with these cheap and effective AC hacks.<\/em><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This summer is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/long_range\/seasonal.php?lead=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">predicted<\/a> to be hot, humid, and sweaty. But while you might be tempted to shutter indoors with the AC cranked, this is guaranteed to earn you a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/resources\/high-pennsylvania-energy-bill\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">high electricity bill<\/a>.  Not to mention, there&#8217;s a chance that we may be facing an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/pa-summer-electricity-supplies-may-hit-bills-harder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">electricity supply<\/a> issue this summer. Which could mean blackouts. Thankfully, we&#8217;ve got some hacks to keep cool without running your AC non-stop. And, how you can find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/deals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cheap electricity rates<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>AC Hack #1: Cooling Fan Hacks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/fans-cooling\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">I<\/a>f you have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/fans-cooling\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">ceiling fan<\/a>, you know it&#8217;s your best friend for staying cool. First, make sure to set it to spin\u00a0counterclockwise to blow across you. A fan works by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/chilling-science-evaporative-cooling-with-liquids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">evaporating the sweat<\/a> on your skin to help lower your body temperature. However, a fan won\u2019t lower the actual temperature of your home significantly. So, when you leave, turn them off.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For standing or box fans, get two. Set up one so that it\u2019s blowing air out of a window during the day. At night, turn the fan so that it blows cool night air into your room. Have another directed at you to cool you off. You can also place a bowl of ice behind this fan. It will pull air over the cold ice and help you feel cool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>AC Hack #2: Window Treatments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re in a home or apartment, knowing how to treat your windows can help you stay cool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Curtains help keep out the sun&#8217;s heat, especially for windows facing south or west. So, during the day,\u00a0keep your windows covered. But their material matters most. Insulated cellular shades, drapes, or window quilts are great but those with reflective backing work even better. Either way, these methods can help\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/eere\/better-buildings-residential-network\/articles\/window-treatments-undervalued-highly-efficient\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">lower your AC cost<\/a>\u00a0by about 30%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t have AC, open your windows at night. By ventilating your home, particularly upper floors, the air circulation will help to cool your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>AC Hack #3: Regular Maintenance Hacks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have to use your AC, knowing how to keep it running efficiently will help your home stay cool and lower energy costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether it\u2019s a window unit or HVAC, changing its air filters will keep your unit running its best. Dirt and dust clogged filters prevent air from moving through it. Change or clean filters at least once a month and you can save up to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstenergycorp.com\/content\/dam\/customer\/get-help\/files\/brochures\/100waysbrochure.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">15%<\/a>&nbsp;on your energy costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have central AC,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/can-closing-off-unused-rooms-lower-my-pa-electricity-bill\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">don\u2019t close off rooms<\/a>\u00a0or block off vents in your home while your HVAC is running. This can unbalance air flow; some rooms may over-cool, some may get hotter. It can also freeze over your AC unit. Leave all room doors and vents open to ensure the best air flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>AC Hack #4: Get a Smart Thermostat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Get smart about controlling your AC. ENERGY STAR <a href=\"http:\/\/On average, those who use an ENERGY STAR smart thermostat will see approximately 8% savings on heating and cooling bills. This equals about $50 per year. However, you may save even more depending on your energy usage and home environment.\" rel=\"nofollow\">smart thermostats<\/a> will save you an average of 8% a year on heating and cooling bills. These use schedules and sensors to save you money when you\u2019re away and keep you comfortable while you\u2019re home. The best part? You can get a rebate on a smart thermostat from your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/companies\">local PA utility company<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>AC Hack #5: Get a better Electricity Rate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These hacks will help keep you cool. But there&#8217;s no better way to save on your electricity bills than shopping for a low\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/electricity-rates\/pennsylvania\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">energy rate<\/a>. So if you want to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/companies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">compare companies<\/a>, read reviews, and find the best energy prices there\u2019s only one place to go. Check out\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com<\/a>\u00a0today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lower Your Electricity Bill with These AC Hacks This summer is predicted [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":5669,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mbp_gutenberg_autopost":false},"categories":[41,63,105],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5657"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5657"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5657\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5673,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5657\/revisions\/5673"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}