Ways to Save Money On Your Utility Bills In The Summer

It is July and I live in St George. In case you haven't ever been here, it's hot. Not as bad as Phoenix, but close. Most days I hide in my house between noon and six pm. Sometimes after dinner I may run errands and it's still 107 degrees. And this has been a mild summer compared to most. Next week it's supposed to get up to 114. I am not looking forward to what that will do to my power bill. With the AC running all the time, it gets expensive. Here's a some things you can do, some are simple every day things, others require a little investment of time and money, which can pay off in the long-run.

1. Have a home inspection. We had to do this anyway when we bought the place six months ago. This can help you find trouble spots that are costing you money. Like for us, our attic should have a few more vents than it does to adequately circulate air. In Utah you can have one done for $25 and reimbursed on your gas bill if you follow the recommendations. Or you can get a do-it-yourself-audit form here.
2. Clean your fridge. Your fridge sucks a lot of power, but there's something you can do to make it run more efficiently.The coils behind the fridge tend to attract dust, which coat the coil, making it work harder to maintain fridge temp. Unplug the fridge, pull it away from the wall and vacuum off the dust. You should do this about every 3 months.
3. Keep vents and temperature registers unobstructed. If air flows freely, your furnace/AC can maintain temperature more efficiently.
4. Clean your lint screen between every load of laundry. It may not look like it needs it that often, but without the lint, your dryer can work more efficiently.
5. Eliminate air leaks.
6. Close vents and doors to unused rooms.
7. Add things to block the heat. Drapes, shutters, awnings, shade trees, glass with reflective film and/or solar screens can help keep your house cooler. 
8. Solar Power Prices have really come down on this and it is something we are strongly considering installing.
9. Check rebates and tax credits that are available for improving the energy efficiency of your home, here.
10. Close the blinds and drapes on the sunny side of the house to keep the house cooler.
11. Keep closet doors closed so you're not spending money cooling space that you don't "live" in.
12. Regularly change air filters in your air conditioning. If they're clogged with dust they won't run as efficiently. In the summer you should clean or change them once a month.
13. Use a microwave whenever you can. It uses far less power than a conventional oven, plus it doesn't heat the house up.
14. Stock your fridge. Even if only with water bottles or pitchers. If your fridge is mostly empty it has to work harder to keep the inside cold.
15. Smart house features Automated home features have the potential to save you a fair amount of money. Plus they're just wicked awesome. You can start with smart surge protectors that are only slightly more than standard ones. (My husband has all kinds of plans and dreams about automating our house to make it more efficient. Someday.)
16. Take cold showers. They require less energy and can be rejuvenating in the summer heat.

I've also mentioned a few other money saving/power conserving ideas here and here.