SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When it's 100 degrees outside, the pools get packed and so does the lake. Eventually, though, you’ll have to make it back inside to air-conditioning. And running an air-conditioner can cause the electric bill to spike.
There are ways to save some cash while staying cool indoors. Here are some tips to keep costs down while keeping comfortable.
Turning your thermostat to 78 is the most common trick to keeping your energy bill low. SMUD spokesperson Lindsay Vanlaningham says residents can turn it up just a little and still save
“If you can turn it up just by 2 degrees you can have anywhere from 5% to 10%," Vanlaningham said.
Fans keep air circulating, allowing you to raise the thermostat a few degrees and stay just as comfortable while reducing your air conditioning costs.
“It’s about 90% less than actually running your A/C,” Vanlaningham said.
If you aren’t budging on the thermostat, the City of Sacramento announced they will start offering double the amount of money that people can save on water conservation rebates.
“Get upgrades on things like irrigation controllers and sprinklers, even do things like replace their toilets and they can all get an increased amount of money in terms of rebates for those,” said City of Sacramento spokesperson Carlos Eliason.
Planting trees can help you keep a few bucks too. The Sacramento Tree Foundation says there is a 20-degree difference between a neighborhood with a tree canopy and one without. They also say planting a tree in your yard can help take the load off your A/C.
“Your air conditioner is going to be more efficient and you’ll have a lower energy bill because that unit is shaded,” Jessica Sanders with the Sacramento Tree Foundation said.
