Summer electricity costs set to soar by double digits - air conditioning pros reveal how you could save 10% on your cooling bill

Rising summer temperatures mean soaring summer electricity bills as Americans nationwide crank up the air conditioning to beat the heat.  

New data from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) suggests that the average US household will spend almost $800 on electricity this summer from power costs alone.

That's up 10.5 percent from the same period last year - and the report also warns that one in six US households are behind on their electricity bills, indicating just how severe the energy affordability crisis has become.

The outlook is worse in states prone to heatwaves: Arizona residents will likely face the steepest electricity costs, with NEADA estimating that locals will spend a whopping $1,060 this summer, up nearly 14 percent from last year. 

'Families are getting hit from both sides,' said Mark Wolfe, Executive Director of NEADA, said. 'Electricity prices continue to rise, and hotter summers mean households need to use more electricity simply to stay safe.'

With Americans desperate for ways to cut costs wherever possible, we talked to HVAC professionals to get you advice on what to day and to disprove longstanding beliefs about the best and cheapest ways to cool a home. 

The biggest question on our minds is whether it's cheaper to leave the AC running during the day or to switch it off when no one is home. 

Many assume that keeping a constant temperature saves money, but energy experts say that this bit of common wisdom means you pay more not less. 

In the winter, the US Department of Energy suggests setting thermostats to around 68F to 70F while you're awake and then setting it lower while you sleep or are away from home.

The same advice holds for summer: Set the AC to keep you house warmer than normal when you're out, and then crank up the cold when you are home or sleeping.

When it comes to a specific cooling temperature that's preferred in the summer, most experts say 75F is a good starting point, while 78F is a better compromise between energy efficiency and comfort, according to the HVAC firm Trane.

While you're out of the house, it's recommended to turn up the thermostat by 7 to 10 degrees. to around 85 to 88 degrees. When sleeping, 82F is preferred. 

Experts confirm raising the thermostat a few degrees while you're away can drastically cut cooling costs. 

Martyn Fowler, founder of Elite Renewables, told the Daily Mail that what really spikes someone's energy bill is big temperature swings. 

'And it’s not nice to return to a really hot space when you get home,' he said. 'The issue is that the AC has to run for a long time to pull the temperature back down. In humid areas, it also has to remove all that moisture again.'

Fowler has over 20 years of experience working on residential HVAC systems, improving energy efficiency in new builds, renovations and everything in between.

Based on his experience he suggests that the best solution is to set the thermostat higher when people are out of the home - that gives the system a break without letting your home turn into an oven while you’re out. 

'For new homeowners, I’d say don’t overthink it,' he said. 'Just learn the basics about your system. Make sure you keep on top of maintenance like changing filters.' 

'It’s also a good idea to get the AC serviced before the hottest part of summer if you can,' Fowler added. 'A struggling system will cost you more no matter what temperature you set.'

Project manager Scott Eyman helps cool spaces across Nebraska and Iowa, with expertise in residential and commercial buildings. 

He agreed, saying that in his experience, one of the biggest 'myths' about cooling a space is that homeowners should leave their air conditioner running so that it doesn't work as hard when it restarts.

'It's really that simple,' Eyman told the Daily Mail. 'If you're going to be more than three hours, just turn your thermostat up 7 to 10 degrees from where you want it instead of shutting it off completely.' 

'It costs a lot less to maintain 85F while you're away from 72F,' he clarified.

In fact, the US Department of Energy confirms homeowners who raise the temperature when they're asleep or away can reduce annual cooling costs by as much as 10 percent, especially when changes are maintained for eight hours or longer. 

Another common air-conditioning myth is that setting the thermostat to an extremely low temperature will cool your home faster.

Many homeowners lower their thermostats to 60°F or even lower, believing the system will work harder and cool the space more quickly. However, that's not how most air conditioners operate.

According to Dereck Granados, an HVACR instructor at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Austin, residential air-conditioning systems typically cool at the same rate regardless of the temperature setting.

'That's simply not how air conditioning works,' Granados told the Daily Mail. 'Most residential systems cool at roughly the same rate regardless of where you set the thermostat. Setting it extremely low doesn't speed up the cooling process - it just makes the system run longer.'

He also mentioned the importance of changing filters regularly, sealing air leaks around doors and making sure the attic insulation is decent. That'll help cool a space quicker and more efficiently. 

The US Department of Energy suggests moving lamps or TV sets away from your air-conditioning thermostat. 

'The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary,' the website states.

Home energy expert Stephen Day added that keeping blinds closed during the hottest parts of the day can help reduce the strain on an AC unit and lower monthly utility bills during the peak summer months. 

'Keeping blinds or curtains closed, particularly on south and west-facing windows, during peak heat hours will lower solar heat gain, which can improve how and when your AC runs,' Day told the Daily Mail.

And if you need relief from the heat while on the go, urban areas like New York City set up cooling center facilities during particularly sweltering heatwaves.