Typically, air conditioning is the biggest home energy hog. In warm locales like here in Arizona, 60 to 70 percent of electric bills may go toward A/C. So you’re probably eager for outdoor temperatures to decline so your utility bills will too. Then finish out the warm-weather season with these seven measures that can raise your thermostat and lower your cooling expenses.

1. Don’t Run Your A/C While No One’s Home

Like many people, you may believe falsely that keeping your air conditioner on when everyone is gone will save you money. While running your system at full blast may be an effective startup practice, continuing to use it hard constantly can raise your energy bills. You’re A/C can cost in excess of two dollars an hour to run. Because constant operation requires higher energy consumption, it doesn’t use your unit efficiently. Fluctuations that are necessary to keep your interior’s temperature constant can tax your system.

When you’re at home, set your thermostat for at least 78° F with the fan in the Auto position. Every degree that you drop your set point below 78 degrees will increase your energy usage by around 8 percent. For each $100 of your monthly utility bill, you can save approximately $8 per degree above 78°.

Turn the temperature up to at least 82 degrees when everyone leaves. If you have a programmable thermostat, set it to come on 30 minutes before returning home. That uses less electricity than leaving your air conditioner running constantly to maintain a cooler temperature.

Your future utility bills will be pleasant surprises when you quit wasting energy to run your unit while everyone’s gone. Using your A/C just when necessary will keep your system operational several years longer. Whenever you encounter air-conditioning problems, contact Cooper Climate Control for reliable repairs to restore your cooling quickly.

2. Use Fans Properly

Ceiling fans that keep air moving help you feel 3 to 8 degrees cooler, decreasing your cooling expenses if you raise your thermostat to higher settings. When fans blow drafts downward, they remove hot air surrounding your body. Stirred-up breezes evaporate more skin moisture, so you feel more comfortable than you would in a still environment.

Running one ceiling fan to circulate air for half a day costs just $1.50 per month, opposed to $25 for air conditioning. While ceiling fans help people stay cool, they don’t reduce room temperatures. So keeping them on in empty rooms wastes money. Simply turning off ceiling fans upon leaving can save $3 to $7 per month. Turning them back on whenever you need circulating air again requires minimal electricity. Follow that advice for all portable fans as well.

3. Adjust Dampers

For zoned A/C systems, using ductwork dampers to restrict airflow to rooms you use rarely can conserve energy and lower your cooling costs. Consult a professional about closing registers and/or doors in those areas to make sure that practice won’t hamper your unit’s efficiency.

4. Seal Household Leaks

Weatherizing your home will keep the cold air inside and the hot air outside. Seal any air leaks around windows and doors with caulking or weather stripping to avoid air exchanges. Make sure that the insulation around your ductwork and in your attic is sufficient. A poorly insulated attic may lose as much as 40 percent of your home’s cooled air.

5. Embrace Chill-out Tricks

Hanging damp sheets over sun-facing windows can cool a whole room. Go to bed Egyptian style by wrapping a cool, moistened sheet around your body and sleeping on dry towels to protect your mattress. Wrap reusable cold packs in cotton pillowcases and place them beside you in bed for rapid cool downs.

6. Manage Landscaping Concerns

If you provide shade around your outdoor condenser unit, it will use as much as 10 percent less electricity than one receiving direct sunlight. But leave the two- to four-foot area around it free of landscaping including tall grass, shrubs, and plants to promote adequate airflow. Avoid unshaded landscaping featuring excess rocks, asphalt, or cement that radiate heat, increasing temperatures on your home’s west and south sides.

7. Lighten Your Home’s Exterior

Whenever your house needs external updating, choose light paint colors that reflect heat better than darker shades. Replacing asphalt shingles with a white metal roof, a far superior heat reflector, will reduce your cooling costs by 10 to 20 percent.