By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Summers in Phoenix can be excruciatingly hot, and currently the metro area is under an extreme heat warning through Friday.
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While it may feel great blasting your air conditioning on full, it may hurt later when you get the bill. But there are steps you can take to slash your bill.
How often you change your air filter can help make a dent in your energy bill. Experts say to switch out your air filter more often during the summer, suggesting that you do so at least once a month.
The higher the MERV rating for a filter, which is how well the filter traps particles, the more work your AC does. A less expensive filter with a moderate MERV rating will still filter out dust and pollen from your home and lessen the stress on your air conditioning. A more expensive air filter will handle more particles, but put your AC to work.
A long-term solution to saving more money on your bill is installing an Energy Star-rated roof, according to Arizona State University professor Pat Phelan. Phelan also advises maintenance on your air conditioning, saying that it’s “never too late.”
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”So if you haven’t had that done this year,” he said. “Have somebody come out and pay whatever it takes to have somebody take a look at it.”
“You definitely want to head off any problems up front,” he added.
Another way to lower your bill during the summer months is to opt into budget billing offered by certain energy companies. Arizona Public Service (APS), for instance, offers customers a program that averages their recent bills to determine their monthly payment.
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