Your home's air conditioner may be the best way to keep you and your family cool during the long, hot days of summer, but you may not appreciate the utility costs at the end of the season! The good news is that you can help your home's air conditioner work more efficiently with just a few simple tips and tricks, all of which are very affordable and easy for anyone to follow. Consider a few of them here.

Move around the outside vegetation

One thing you might do to help the central air conditioning unit run more efficiently is to provide it with some shade. If the unit itself is hot, it will work harder to cool the air circulating through the motor and fan. Note if your home's outside unit is in direct sun and, if so, use a small landscaping tree or some strategically placed shrubbery for protection. Keep room enough for proper air circulation, but some shade over the unit or some vegetation in the way of direct sunlight can help the air conditioner run much more efficiently.

You might also plant new vegetation to provide your home with some shade as well. You don't need to block windows if you like sunlight and a view to the outside, but tall shrubbery or landscaping trees that cover other areas of the home's exterior can block the heat of the sun, so the air conditioner doesn't work as hard to cool that space.

Weatherize

You may think of adding weather-stripping or caulk around the windows, or putting draft guards along the bottom of doors, to keep out cold air during wintertime, but these simple fixes also keep out warm air during summertime as well. Check your home for drafts around windows and doors and add weather-stripping to seal up those spaces and keep your home's interior cooler overall.

Get some window film

Window film is very affordable and easy to apply yourself, and it can reduce the amount of sunlight and heat that gets trapped in your home. Cling film is also easy to remove, so you can take it off the windows during twilight hours or when the weather cools down, or for when you want some sunlight in the room. Window film is especially good for use in rooms that get lots of direct sunlight; opt for a dark color for these areas and then film with just a sight tint for other rooms where you only need a small bit of added protection from the sun.

Click here for more info on how to keep your air conditioner functioning properly.