If you are feeling the summer heat in Colorado’s front range, air conditioning costs can sometimes be a steep price to pay to keep your home cool throughout July and August.
Thankfully, to save money on air conditioning costs there are several things that you can do to lower energy expenses at home during peak spending season. Below, we’ll look at a few of the most effective actions you can take to lower your electricity bills both as soon as possible and for years to come.
Use less to save more.
Not to sound like a nagging roommate telling you to cut back on your electricity use, but in reality, using less energy is the fastest and most effective way to lower both your utility bills and carbon footprint while running an air conditioning system. Fortunately today, there are several strategies you can implement to keep your power use low that do not involve sacrificing a comfortable home temperature.
For instance, if your air conditioning (whether central or other) is showing signs of aging, upgrading to a new and more efficient system will instantly help you lower your monthly power consumption. In 2023, heat pumps have gained tremendous popularity as an energy-efficient alternative to traditional air conditioners.
Beyond the AC itself, properly insulating your home can also help cut down on electricity use if too much cool air is escaping throughout the day. Especially in older homes, upgrading or sealing windows, installing an attic fan, or adding insulation can help reduce the amount of work your AC needs to perform to keep things cool indoors.
Change when you use electricity.
In Colorado, Wyoming, and across the country, electricity providers are adopting time-of-use (TOU) and demand-based energy pricing models. Under these rate structures, the price of electricity in your area depends on the time of day and season.
During peak billing hours on weekdays from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, electricity costs are 2.7 times higher than off-peak rates in June, July, August, and September. So to keep your energy costs low in the summer, consider cutting back on power-hungry habits like dishwashing, laundry, and EV charging during peak hours, or if possible, give your AC a rest in the late afternoon.
Install a solar energy system.
Although we may be a bit biased as Denver’s first B-Corp-certified solar company, installing a solar energy system is possibly the best thing you can do to combat skyrocketing energy bills in the heat of the summer.
As it happens, the extended daylight hours of June, July, and August allow solar energy systems to generate electricity at high daily output rates throughout the spring and summer seasons when AC has its largest effect on energy bills.
So at the same time that you are using more energy than usual to run your air conditioning, your panels are also producing more electricity per day. This can help replace significant portions of your annual utility bill spending with net metering in Colorado.
Look for tax incentives, rebates, and programs.
As both new air conditioners and solar energy systems can require large investments, there are several tax incentives, rebates, and programs available to help homeowners in Colorado and surrounding states adopt greener and more efficient technology.
When looking at incentives for solar in Colorado and Wyoming, most homeowners can take advantage of the federal investment tax credit (ITC) to reduce their total project costs by 30%. Then, depending on your utility service area, you may also be eligible for specific local solar rebate programs such as in Fort Collins.
In addition to the solar ITC, homeowners may also be eligible for several federal income tax credits for their other various energy-efficient appliances and upgrades. Locally, many cities and utilities, such as United Power and PVREA offer homeowner rebate programs for purchases like smart thermostats, efficient A/C units, and more.
We’re here to help!
As a solar energy company founded in Denver, we know what it takes to beat the summer heat in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Serving customers from Pueblo to Fort Collins and Cheyenne and surrounding areas, please contact us today if you would like to discuss your solar energy home upgrade.