5 On Your Side shares 7 simple ways to cut down your energy bill this summer

It's been a hot summer in North Carolina, which means your bill is going to increase -- making it even more important to take advantage of these cool, cost-saving changes. 

Given that 13% of a home's total energy costs go toward cooling, WRAL's 5 On Your Side and Consumer Reports have some simple steps to cut utility costs without sacrificing the comforts of home.

Especially during the hot and humid North Carolina summertime, nothing beats the relief of cranking the AC. To take some heat off your electric bill, adjust thermostat settings and consider investing in a smart thermostat.

“A programmable or smart thermostat can actually lower cooling and heating bills by as much as 10% a year. Most smart thermostats use WiFi and allow you to control your central air and heat with your smartphone," said Dan Wroclawski with Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports recommends a Honeywell Home T9 Thermostat, which includes a sensor to measure temperature and humidity.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average American spends $2,000 per year on energy bills, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

WRAL's Keely Arthur invited Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks into her home to show her how to make it more energy efficient.

“Most of these things take just a few minutes or they’re something you can do on a Saturday afternoon,” Brooks said.

Here are seven simple things you can do to cut costs.

1. Close your blinds and consider blackout curtains

If there’s one thing we get a lot of in North Carolina, it’s summer heat. First, close your blinds and consider blackout blinds to block the sunlight that would otherwise come through.

“It can serve as a greenhouse effect that can increase the temperature in your home,” Brooks said.

2. Use ceiling fans

Next, flip on your ceiling fan.

“Ceiling fans not only cost very little to run, but when used with your air conditioning, you can actually raise your thermostat by about four degrees and feel just as cool," Wroclawski said.

Having a fan on won’t cool the room itself, but it makes anyone in it feel much cooler.

“Ceiling fans can actually make you feel up to four degrees cooler than it actually is in the room,” Brooks said.

3. Raise your thermostat... a little

Turning a fan on will allow you to raise your thermostat a bit higher. Brooks told 5 On Your Side that for every two degrees you increase your thermostat this summer, you can save 5% on cooling costs per month.

“You want to make sure you set that ceiling fan to a counterclockwise rotation,” Brooks said.

4. Switch out your air filters

Using dirty, out-of-date filters can increase your bill by 20%, so be sure to switch those out every one to three months.

“If you have a clogged air filter, that unit is going to work a whole lot harder,” Brooks said.

5. Switch to LED light bulbs

Finally, make the switch to LED light bulbs.

“Lighting is another thing that adds up in your home," Brooks said. "You think about all the different lights you have from lamps to chandeliers, and that’s a great opportunity to save energy by switching to low energy use LED bulbs."

Brooks said LED bulbs use about one-tenth of the energy of a standard light bulb.

The Consumer Federation of America estimated that switching to LED bulbs can save the average home about $8.33 a month.

“These are simple things that you can do that will really make a big difference,” Brooks said.

6. Plug cracks around windows and doors

Cracks in windows or doors allow hot air to get in, which means your AC has to work harder to keep your home cool. And that means your bill is going to be higher.

Filling in cracks is a cheap and easy way to keep your home cool and utility bill low.

7. Avoid using the oven

Try not to use your oven! Along with using energy, it also heats up the kitchen.

If you really need to bake, try to use a CR top-rated toaster oven or air fryer. They’re an affordable, money-saving option and heat up more quickly.

Additional tips:

Repairing any leaky AC ductwork is a good way to make sure your cool air isn’t leaking out. Duke Energy offers incentive rebates if you do things like install a new HVAC system or seal ductwork.

If you are having trouble paying your energy bill, Duke Energy also offers some energy-saving assistance.