Five Ways to Cut Your AC Costs This Summer

Closing vents in unused rooms might seem like a money-saver, but it actually increases pressure in the ductwork, pushing air out through small leaks into the attic or crawl space and reducing overall airflow efficiency by as much as 20 percent. Keeping every vent open lets the system run more efficiently.

Humidity makes an air conditioner work harder to cool the same space. Running the range hood fan while cooking and the bathroom exhaust fan during and after showers helps pull moisture out of the air, though both should be switched off again once the air has cleared so they're not venting out the cooled air too.

A small personal evaporative cooler, which draws in warm air and releases water-chilled air, can cool a desk, bedroom, or kitchen without running a full central AC unit, using a fraction of the energy.

When the outdoor temperature dips below the indoor temperature, usually in the early morning or evening, turning off the AC and running a couple of box fans in first-floor windows creates a current that pushes hot air out through upper windows, at roughly 55 cents in savings for every hour the unit stays off.

Overgrown shrubs or foliage crowding the condenser unit outside can reduce airflow and increase energy use by up to 30 percent. Giving the unit some breathing room with a quick pruning makes it easier for it to release heat.