A sure sign that summer is truly here is the increased home costs due to power usage. Upstate South Carolina temperatures could hit triple digits just about every day. When even your driveway is radiating heat, rising home costs from running the air conditioner are inevitable.

There are a few things you can do to help keep costs down, though. We thought we’d give you a few suggestions for chipping away at those energy bills.

• Turn the thermostat up a few degrees. Yes, we said ‘up’. It’s not uncommon for people living even in very large houses to keep their thermostat set as low as 70 or even 65 degrees in summer. If that’s you, when the outside temperatures are regularly hitting the high 90s, your AC unit is compensating for nearly a 30-degree difference to try and keep up. You can keep home costs down significantly just by moving that dial up three or four degrees. Going from 70 to 74, or 75 to 78 can net you quite a bit in savings over the course of the summer. You’ll stay cool and give your A/C (and your wallet) a little bit of a break.
• Install ceiling fans in every room. Many folks in South Carolina already have ceiling fans in their bedrooms and living room, but they may not have one in the kitchen. Fans are relatively inexpensive at local home-improvement stores and can be quickly and safely installed. Making sure you have ceiling fans in every room helps move the cool air around so that your A/C unit gets just a little bit of a break when the sun starts really beating down.
• Open the windows — but only at certain times. Many people don’t like to turn the air off and open windows during the summer, convinced it will force the A/C to work even harder when they turn it back on. Not true! If you open your windows early in the morning and late at night, when the temperatures are cooler outside than inside, you can save money without having to sacrifice comfort. Even just a couple hours per day will make a difference. Besides, it will also let you enjoy the scent of honeysuckle on the breeze!
• Give your kitchen a break. Grill out, embrace salads, or try out another mealtime option that doesn’t involve heating up the house. Not only do ovens and stovetops use energy, but they also heat the air in your home. Your A/C is forced to work to overcome this sudden influx of heat. Try different dinner options throughout the summer instead. Grilling is a great way to cook all kinds of food without bringing too much heat indoors. You can also try out salads, cold soups, and and many other options that don’t involve the oven or stove. It will help keep you cool, reduce home energy costs, and it’s an excuse to try something new!

While summer brings with it the benefits of time by the pool, beautiful sunshine, and outdoor activities all over Greenville and Upstate South Carolina, the heat here can really hit your wallet hard when it comes time to paying the electric bill.

We hope our tips help you chip away at your energy use to save you money throughout the summer and early fall. At Five Star Construction, we don’t build a home and then leave you to fend for yourself — we’re here for you with advice and help when you need it. Looking for information on building your custom luxury home in Upstate South Carolina? We’d love to speak with you about it! Give us a call at (864) 303-9143 or contact us online today!