There are many ways you can reduce energy costs along the Alabama Gulf Coast while keeping your summer cool.

By simply turning your thermostat back 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours each day, you can save as much as 10 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills.  Many thermostats come with an automatic setting.  When using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the air conditioner according to a pre-set schedule.

Here is some other money saving tips designed to keep cooling costs down.

• Set the thermostat to the highest comfortable temperature.  Keep your house warmer when you aren’t home during the day, but cooler when you come home at night.
• Keep the outside air conditioner unit free of air flow obstructions and trim back trees and shrubs at least two feet.
• Check filters on air conditioners at least twice a month; change as necessary.  For central air units, the filters are part of the furnace.  For window units, they are behind the grill.  Dirty filters limit airflow and force equipment to work harder and use more energy.
• Keep cooled air inside the home or condo.  Caulk and weatherstrip around doors and windows, close the fireplace damper, and fill holes and gaps where wiring and pipes enter the house or condo.
• Do laundry, wash dishes, shower and mop floors in the late evening or early morning to decrease humidity during the hottest parts of the day.
• Make sure your clothes dryer and attic are well ventilated.
• Another long-term way to make sure your home is cooler is to plant shade trees on the south and west side of your home.