Even though the fall season is in full swing, it’s always the perfect time of year to learn how to save money on your summer cooling costs. While air conditioning is essential to your overall comfort, that comfort can come at quite a steep price. Learn how to keep that price as low as possible with a few handy tips, some of which you might even be able to put to good use year-round.

Add Shrubs and Other Plants Around the Perimeter of Your Home

Not only are a few well-placed plants just the thing you need to boost your home’s exterior appeal, they go a long way in blocking beams of sunlight from tricking inside your home, which can raise the temperature and cause your HVAC unit to work more to maintain your desired temperature. While you’re planting small trees, be sure to add a few close to your air conditioner’s exterior unit to help keep it cool, which increases your savings even more.

Get a Home Energy Audit

If you have an older home, there’s a chance you also have more than a few leaks where air can leak out or trickle in, which makes your unit operate harder than necessary. Do yourself a favor and schedule an energy audit with a professional so you know whether your home is as efficient as you hope it to be. Energy audits are great for any time of the year, so don’t hesitate to schedule one in the coming months so you can also save on your heating bills.

Invest in Window Screens

Buying solar screens, or even mesh window screens, helps block out sunlight, as much as about 70 percent of solar energy. Specifically, you’ll want to put up screens on all your home’s west- and east-facing windows for maximum savings. Even though you can achieve the same results with window film, you’ll have to make sure you keep your windows closed for the film to be effective, but solar screens work whether windows are open or shut.

Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat

Smart thermostats, also known as programmable thermostats, are a great investment for any time of the year. The way they work is to put your HVAC unit on a schedule according to when you’re home and your personal preferences. That way, your unit is off when you’re away, but you come back to a home that’s cooled or heated to your liking without worrying about wasting energy while away or forgetting to turn your unit off before leaving home.

Use Fans

If you’d rather not cool your entire home, you can turn on fans to cool specific rooms and keep air circulating. Know that you don’t have to invest in expensive ceiling fans to achieve optimum results, a simple floor fan will get the job done just fine. You’ll want to make sure you shut all windows close to the fan and open those farthest away to keep your interior as cool as possible.

Don’t feel as if you have to go broke to keep comfortable while using your HVAC unit. These tips and your own good judgment are sure to serve you well during the warmest as well as the coolest months of the year.