I was going over the utility bills from the summer again. It’s like a sort of trophy for me I guess. The fact that we saved what we did on the HVAC cooling costs makes me want to pull out the bills over and over again. This time of year, there just isn’t much call for the heat pump to be on. The winter here is really mild and there isn’t much need for HVAC heating. However, there are a few cold snaps where having the thermostat on heating is a good idea. But normally, the heat pump makes quick work of the morning chill and cycles off for the rest of the day. That’s my kind of winter for sure. However, the summer is a different animal all together. This area records temperatures that hover at the century mark for at least four months in a row. And then when you add in the humidity, you get a pretty uncomfortable environment for those four months. I’m just super lucky that we have a great heat pump that provides the HVAC cooling that we need. However, I’ve been spending more money on HVAC cooling that I wanted to over the years. But with some rather modest changes, I saved a whole lot on HVAC cooling costs. Sealing the house really tight made a big difference as did making sure the drapes were pulled to stop direct sunlight heating. Yet, it was the thermostat change that made the biggest impact. We got accustomed to a warmer house during the heat of the day and it paid off big time.