You want to stay cool while keeping your air conditioning costs under control. It’s easier said than done when you’re dealing with an Arizona summer. During the peak of the season, low temperatures can climb into the upper 80s with high temperatures soaring well-above 110.

Containing costs starts with establishing a consistent temperature for the hours that you’re at home. Most home comfort experts will tell you that 78 degrees is a good temperature to try and achieve. The use of ceiling fans can help keep things more comfortable with this thermostat setting by circulating the air and creating a subtle draft that helps create a sense of coolness through evaporation.

When not at home, you can save substantially by bumping up the thermostat to 85 to 88 degrees. It just doesn’t make sense to cool an empty home. Not only will this save on electricity costs, it can help reduce the wear and tear on your air conditioner.

Don’t want to come home to a stuffy, warm house? Consider a smart thermostat that you can set to accommodate your schedule. Today’s technology enables you to schedule your temperature settings, and it can even learn from your daily patterns. With sleep-wake-away home settings, you can gain better control of your home’s temperature and maximize the efficiency of your air conditioner whether you’re home or not. In other words, you can set your thermostat to cool down your home as you come home from work and increase the temperature automatically when you’re not there.

And if you haven’t already done so, we also recommend getting your air conditioner inspected and tuned up. It’s a surefire way for keeping air conditioning costs under control. For more cost-saving tips and ideas to keep you cool without costly utility bills, call the experts at Bruce’s. We’re here to help you this summer and throughout the year.