How to Keep Energy Bills Down During an Oklahoma Summer

Thermostat Settings That Save Money

When it's 105 degrees outside in Central Oklahoma, your air conditioner is going to work hard no matter what. But how you manage your thermostat makes a bigger difference than most people realize.

The Department of Energy recommends 78 degrees when you're home. That might sound warm, but your body adjusts after a day or two, and the savings add up fast. Every degree you lower the thermostat below 78 adds roughly 3-5% to your cooling costs. Setting it to 72 instead of 78 could cost you 20%+ more on your electric bill.

Here's what we recommend:

• 78 degrees when you're home and awake
• 82-85 degrees when you're away — Don't turn it off completely. Bringing the house back down from 95+ degrees costs more than maintaining a higher setpoint.
• 80 degrees when you're sleeping — Use a ceiling fan to stay comfortable at a higher temp.

Programmable and smart thermostats make this easy. A smart thermostat like an Ecobee or Honeywell T-series learns your schedule and adjusts automatically. Some even use occupancy sensors so you're not cooling an empty house. The investment pays for itself within a season or two for most Oklahoma households.

One thing to avoid: don't crank the thermostat way down thinking it'll cool faster. Your AC removes heat at the same rate regardless of the setpoint. Setting it to 65 doesn't speed anything up — it just makes the system run longer than necessary.

Seal the Leaks

Your AC can be perfectly tuned and you'll still have high bills if conditioned air is leaking out of the house. In Central Oklahoma homes, the most common culprits are:

• Attic access panels and doors — These are often uninsulated and unsealed. Cool air rises through the gaps, and hot attic air (which can reach 140+ degrees in an Oklahoma summer) pushes down.
• Recessed can lights — Older recessed lights in ceilings below the attic are notorious for air leakage.
• Electrical outlets and switch plates on exterior walls — Hold your hand near one on a hot day. You'll often feel warm air coming through.
• Ductwork — Leaky ducts in an unconditioned attic can waste 20-30% of your cooling. The air you paid to cool never reaches the living space.
• Windows and doors — Worn weatherstripping and old caulking let hot air in. This is a cheap fix that most homeowners can handle themselves.

Insulation matters too. Many older homes in the Norman and Moore area have attic insulation that's settled or was undersized to begin with. The current recommendation for our climate zone is R-38 to R-49 in the attic. If you can see the ceiling joists when you look up there, you probably need more.

Use Fans and Window Treatments

Fans don't cool the air — they cool people. A ceiling fan creates a wind-chill effect that makes a room feel 3-4 degrees cooler. That means you can raise the thermostat a few degrees and feel just as comfortable while using a fraction of the energy.

• Run ceiling fans counterclockwise in summer (looking up at them). This pushes air downward.
• Turn fans off when you leave the room — They're cooling you, not the room.

Windows are the other big factor. South- and west-facing windows in Oklahoma take a beating from afternoon sun. The heat gain through those windows can be substantial.

• Blinds and curtains — Closing blinds on sun-facing windows during the afternoon can reduce heat gain by 30-45%.
• Blackout curtains — Even more effective, especially on west-facing windows that get direct sun from 2-7 PM.
• Window film — UV-blocking window film reduces heat gain without blocking your view. It's one of the better investments for homes with large west-facing windows.
• Shade trees and awnings — Longer-term solutions, but shade on the west and south sides of your home makes a measurable difference.

Keep Your System Running Efficiently

Everything above helps reduce how hard your AC has to work. But the system itself needs to be in good shape to run efficiently:

• Change your filter every 30-60 days in summer — A dirty filter restricts airflow, makes the system work harder, and increases your bill. During peak season when the system runs almost constantly, filters clog faster.
• Keep the outdoor unit clear — Trim bushes and vegetation back at least 2 feet on all sides. Rinse the coils with a garden hose periodically to clear dirt and cottonwood buildup.
• Get your annual tune-up — A professional maintenance visit ensures refrigerant levels are correct, electrical connections are solid, and everything is running at peak efficiency. A well-maintained system uses 15-25% less energy than one that's been neglected.
• Don't close vents in unused rooms — This is a common misconception. Closing vents increases duct pressure, reduces efficiency, and can cause the evaporator coil to freeze. Keep all vents open.

Oklahoma summers are expensive no matter what, but these steps combined can take a real bite out of your energy bill. If your system isn't keeping up or your bills seem higher than they should, give Trinity Climate Control a call. We'll check your system and let you know where the biggest opportunities are. We serve Norman, Moore, Purcell, and all of Central Oklahoma.