by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: July 04, 2010

People who live in cold climates always seem to worry about their winter energy bills. The flip side of that is that people who live in very warm climates are always worried about their summer energy bills. Unless you have your own solar, wind or hydro power, you are going to have to deal with the rates that your local energy companies charge. You may not be able to control the rates that energy companies charge, but you can learn to do things to control your own energy bill.

Here are some tips to help you lower your summer energy bill.

*Purchase a programmable thermostat -

A programmable thermostat will allow you to set your air conditioning to a certain temperature and have the system only kick in when the air temperature rises above that. You can even set the thermostat so that the temperature is cooler at night than it is during the day.

*Use heat blocking shades, curtains or window film -

You will want to keep the hot air out of your home. You can do that by covering your windows with a heat blocking plastic film, by using heat blocking shades, or by using curtains that block the heat. By blocking heat from the windows with the most intense heat and sun exposure, you may be able to reduce the air temperature in the room by as much as five to ten degrees.

*Use ceiling fans -

Even if you are using air conditioning, ceiling fans can be helpful for circulating cool air even more. This may also mean that you won't need to turn the air conditioning down to such a low temperature. The less you can get your compressor unit to run, the lower your utility bill will be.

*Turn down the thermostat on the hot water heater -

Many people keep their hot water heater thermostat at an unnecessarily high temperature. This makes the heating element work overtime, working to heat water that is already hot. There is no need to have the heater motor running just to keep the water that is already hot hot. By  turning the thermostat down by 30 degrees, you will reduce the energy consumption by a considerable amount.

*Line dry clothing -

If you are able to avoid using the clothes dryer, that will save you a huge amount of money - especially if you have an electric dryer. Your  clothes will smell wonderful from drying outside in the air, and your clothes will also last longer. You may still need to use the dryer for things like towels, but the more you can reduce your use, the more money you'll be able to save.

*Reduce phantom power waste -

If you are like most people, you

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