Do you dread opening your summer electric bills? If you’re like many U.S. residents and rely on air conditioning to stay cool over the summer, the corresponding increase in your utility bills can be frightening. But keeping cool in the summer doesn’t have to empty your bank account. There are lots of little things we can do to promote home energy efficiency and summer comfort.

Look at the Big Picture

Let’s start by exploring how energy is used in the average home. According to a 2021 the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), heating and cooling the home accounts for the greatest percentage of energy consumption in the residential sector. Some of the other major home energy uses are broken down in the EIA’s chart below—the 2024 data gathering is underway. As of this writing, the EIA reports that 51% of U.S. homes rely on natural gas for their main source of heating, while 25% of homes are reported to be all-electric, the most sustainable approach if the energy source is renewable rather than fossil fuels. With extreme heat rising, 89% of households are reported using air conditioning.

What do you know about energy use in your home? Some utilities have programs that show real-time home energy use. Gaining an understanding of how your home uses energy is helpful in boosting efficiency. The New York Times provides a handy guide to how each state generates its electricity. Check it to see whether your local utilities are burning coal, a source of CO2 emissions, or if it relies on renewable resources like wind or hydropower. It will help you understand how your changes to electric usage can improve the environment. In addition to growing renewable electricity generation, which reached TK% of total power consumption in 2024, the U.S. saw its first new nuclear power plant open in 2023 after decades of anti-nuclear sentiments. Nuclear now accounts for about 18% of U.S. electricity generation, while renewables from solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and hydroelectric dams, continues to grow, to 21% in 2023.

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Shade Out the Summer Sun

Having window treatments that block out the summer sun can save energy. Notice which windows get direct sun in the summer and use window treatments to help keep your home cooler. This is especially helpful in east, west, and south-facing windows (in the Northern Hemisphere).

Use a Fan, Keep the AC Down

Whenever possible, keep the air conditioner turned on low or off. If nighttime temperatures dip in your area, turn off the air conditioner at night when possible. If fans will do the trick, save energy by turning off your cooling system. Because fans help circulate the air, they make it feel cooler in the home. Be sure to turn them off when you aren’t in the room unless you are using them to draw in cooler outside air.

Line Dry the Laundry

Not only does line drying the laundry help reduce your summer energy bills, but it also extends the life of your clothes. Air drying is gentler on clothes and doesn’t cause stains to set in as much.

Use a Power Strip for Electronics

Your home office equipment and entertainment center may draw a trickle of electricity when these gadgets are in standby mode, even if they are not in use. Put these items on a power strip and turn off the strip when not in use.

Install Water-Saving Plumbing Fixtures & Appliances

Many times, water conservation and water heating go hand in hand. If you can reduce the amount of water flowing out of your shower, it will also save energy by heating less water. By installing a water-saving showerhead, you can use just 1.5 gallons per minute of water while showering. Putting an aerator on your sink faucet can restrict water flow to just 0.5 gallons of water per minute. These changes result in big energy and water savings.

There are front-loading washers that use one-third of the water, energy, and detergent of a top-loading washer. And an energy-saving dishwasher uses significantly less water and energy than washing your dishes by hand.

Swap Out Inefficient Light Bulbs

If you have any incandescent or halogen light bulbs, replace them with LED bulbs. Inefficient light bulbs produce heat in addition to light, wasting energy. This is especially wasteful in the summer when you want to keep your home cool.

There is no shortage of good ideas, and we don’t have a monopoly on energy smarts. If you’re looking for more ways to reduce your summer energy use, check out these great suggestions from AARP, Nerdwallet, Better Homes & Gardens, and This Old House.

Editor’s Note: Originally published on May 22, 2019, this article was updated in March 2025.