So summer is here and your first impulse is to flip on the air conditioner and run it indiscriminately. Unfortunately that type of attitude will quickly jack up your electrical bill. This article will discuss ways you can survive the heat while keeping your utility costs under control.

Dress appropriately - It’s very important you don’t overdress in the summer because it’ll prevent your body from dissipating heat. You’ll overheat and sweat and dry out. Don’t be afraid to show some skin.

Stay hydrated - Be sure to drink plenty of water and always take water with you wherever you go.

Turn off lights, appliances, and devices - All electrical devices and appliances produce some heat and that heat either has to be ventilated out of your space and cooled by an air conditioner. Either way it increases the heat load in your living space which means it requires more energy and therefore more money to keep the space comfortable.

Vent the kitchen and bathroom properly - If you’ve ever performed a lot of cooking in the kitchen in the summer, you’re familiar with the sweltering conditions. It’s important that the heat and humidity is vented out of the living space instead of diffusing it throughout your home or apartment. The same applies to the sauna after showering. The hot and humid air from the shower should be exhausted out of the bathroom. We want the keep the air in the living space cooler and dryer than the outside. That’s what helps maintain a comfortable environment.

Electric fans - Fans use only a fraction of the power compared to an air conditioner and there a couple ways you could use them to make the environment more comfortable. One way is to direct the flow at you or near you which will help cool you off. Another is to place a box fan or window fan in the window. This is effective for cooling off the space when the temperature indoors is greater than the outdoors, which happens frequently because of electrical and gas devices, sun light, and people (yes people and animals make the room hotter and more humid).

Cool showers - Taking cold showers can help you stay cool and comfortable. Consider changing your showering schedule closer to the times you feel most uncomfortable.

Only cool what you need to cool - While its true that central air conditioners possess a significantly higher EER (energy efficiency ratio) than let’s say a window or wall air conditioner, it’s costs more money overall to cool the whole house than it would cool just 1 or 2 rooms. So over the long run, it’s less expensive to purchase a window air conditioner to cool your bedroom than to run simply run the central unit and cool off the entire house.

Insulation - When using your air conditioner, the obvious goal is to cool the space you occupy. You don’t want to air condition the space outside which means you need to ensure your windows and doors are well sealed and that the walls are insulated properly.

Blinds and shades - You probably want to reflect most of that solar energy that pass through your windows on the West and East sides of your home. Blinds and shades will allow some light to pass through so you could reduce your lighting bills but reflect the excessive solar energy which will raise the temperature inside.

Change your sleeping location - You may notice in your dwelling space that certain locations or rooms are naturally cooler others. Consider spending more time in these areas or even sleeping in those rooms to stay cool and save energy.

Adjusting the thermostat - I’ve seen some folks come in from the hot outdoors, blast the AC full speed, turn the thermostat down to 60 degrees F and just leave it there. If the temperature is 80 degrees, the space will not cool to a comfortable temperature quicker by setting the thermostat at 60 rather than 70. It’ll just overcool the space and waste a lot of money.

Maintain your air conditioner - Keep the filters clean and have an expert look at your central unit once a year and make sure everything looks and works properly. Maintenance will maintain high efficiency of the air conditioner as well as prolong its useful life.

Don’t use an old air conditioner - Old conditioners with low EER rating (compare them to newer models) and worn out parts are inefficient will waste a lot of power. The unit should be replaced.