Most summer savings come from the thermostat schedule, not from sitting in a warmer house. These five settings take ten minutes to change.

Raise it when nobody is home

Setting the thermostat 4 to 6 degrees higher during work hours saves 6 to 10 percent on cooling, and the house is back to 74°F before you walk in.

Run the fan on Auto

A fan left on On pulls moisture back off the coil. Auto lets the coil drain, so 76°F feels like 74°F.

Check your filter, close blinds on west windows and set ceiling fans to spin counterclockwise. Together that is the rest of the savings.