With the summer almost over many of you might be looking back at your air conditioning costs or energy bills and wincing. Air conditioning can be expensive, especially if you’re using it in an office. So to help you explore your air conditioning options and how to lower your monthly bills next summer, here are a few tips.

Consider Planting Trees And Bushes

This might seem strange, but you can actually shave off a few dollars here and there by planting a few bushes and trees around your property. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, planting trees or shrubs to shade your home or office and its air conditioner can increase the efficiency by up to 10%. That means that you save money by having a more efficient unit.

It also has the benefit of keeping your building cooler with the shade that the trees provide. Most of the heat comes from sunlight shining through windows, so a tree in the way can deter that.

Routine Maintenance

Contact your local AC repair services company to have them come and look at your unit. Something as simple as having the filters removed and replaced, or clearing up the insides of the unit can have a good effect on the over all efficiency. They might even recommend replacing your unit entirely, to get a more energy-efficient one to save money over the course of the unit’s life.

Play With The Thermostat

Lowering your air conditioner’s thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit, or around that temperature, when you’re home and letting that number rise when you’re not can be beneficial. Also, letting it slowly rise to a higher temperature at night is also not a bad idea.

Doing this can save you five to 15% on your energy bills, according to the Department of Energy. This won’t affect you too much as you will either be away, or asleep, and so won’t notice the difference.

There are a lot of air conditioning options to help you save money next summer, and just one of these tips can see noticeable differences in your AC efficiency. A more efficient unit is a less expensive one, after all.