Summer is the time for fun in the sun, but summer can become a bummer when you’re stuck inside a home that feels like an oven. Those high temperatures can also have you seeing red when the utility bill arrives. Fortunately, there are many great ways to stay comfortable in the summer months. Read on to learn about four ways to keep your home cool and efficient as the days heat up.

1. Turn Down the Lights

Blocking out sunlight is one of the simplest and most effective ways to beat the heat. You should use window blinds and thermal-lined curtains in dark colors to keep out the sun’s rays. Another way to stay cool and save electricity is by turning off artificial lights. Incandescent bulbs, in particular, run hot, putting out 98 percent heat and only 2 percent light, so trading them for more efficient LEDs or compact fluorescent bulbs also helps keep your home cool. Even just turning the lights off when you are not in the room can help you keep cool.

2. Use Fans to Circulate Cool Air

Before air conditioning was invented, fans were the most popular way to keep cool. Fans can be a less costly alternative to air conditioning or used to make your air conditioner more efficient. By circulating the air in the room, a fan can remove pockets of warm air and provide a breeze to keep you cool. Ceiling fans and attic fans are especially effective at cooling your home. It can be surprising how much of an impact even just a small fan can have on the temperature of a room.

3. Keep Your Air Conditioner Maintained

A well-maintained air conditioner keeps your home cooler and uses less energy. Before starting up your unit for summer, change the filters, clean the coils and check the refrigerant level. If you’re not the do-it-yourself type, professional air conditioning maintenance services are an affordable way to make sure the job is done right. Whether you hire professionals or check it yourself, Checking the state of your air conditioning can save you money and time.

4. Control the Humidity

A humid home is a hot home even at temperatures that should be comfortable. Too much moisture in the air makes you feel hot and sweaty, and it can also cause mold and mildew damage to your walls and furniture. Opening windows and using the exhaust fan when taking a bath or shower can help reduce humidity, but if your home is still muggy, try a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier soaks up water vapor in the air and is a very effective way to make your home feel cooler.

Following these four tips can potentially reduce the temperature of your home by several degrees and your energy bill by several dollars each month. Reducing the load on your air conditioner by keeping your home cooler can also save you money by extending the life of the unit. Whatever your resources, you can keep your home cool in the blistering heat of the summer months.