A recent unofficial poll from The Arizona Republicasked residents how high their energy bill gets during the peak of Arizona's scorching summerheat.
The summer heat typicallytakes a toll on Arizonan's walletswith energy bill prices soaring up along with temperatures. According to a recent analysis by Texas Energy Ratings, an energy provider comparison website, Arizonans were expected to pay about an extra $100 on their monthly bill on average this summer, a sum nearly three times as high as the national average increase of $37.
The study ranked Arizona as the U.S. state spending most to stay cool during the hottest months. But what does that sum look like for most Arizonans?
The Republic's unofficial poll investigated how much the total cost looks like for most Arizona households this summer. With more than 2,000 answers collected, here are our findings about how much Arizonans are paying on their monthly electric bill.
What to know:This simple tip could save you money on your electricity bill during hot Arizona summers
How much are most Arizonans paying for electricity?
Most Arizonans pay between $300 and $349 on their monthly energy bill, according to poll results. Nearly 15% of the answers fell into this category.
The cost range that came second was between $200 and $249, and not too far behind, the third category that obtained the most votes was between $250 and $299.
A staggering 12.5% of poll respondents also said they are paying above $500 on their energy bill this summer, making it the fourth cost range with the most votes.
The other categories followed in this order: Between $350 and $399 obtained 10.5% of the votes, between $150 and $199 obtained 10.2%, between $400 and $499 obtained 9.3%, between $100 and $149 obtained 7.5% and between $450 and $499 obtained just over 5% of the votes.
Less than 3.5% of respondents said they are paying under $100 on their electric bill during the summer.
Republic readers share how they save energy while staying cool
Some readers reached out to The Republic to share their strategies to save some money on their energy bills while remaining comfortable during the summer.
Bill Dellinges, an Apache Junction resident, said the heat doesn't bother him much, helping him save some money every summer.
"In summer I usually set it at 82 degrees. Sometimes I'll move it to 81 if the house gets too warm or 83 if I get too cold," Dellinges said. "Most of my friends think I'm crazy."
Dellinges admitted he turns off his AC, cracks open a window and turns the ceiling fan on if it ever drops below 80 degrees at night.
His approach has helped him save some money on the energy bill for his 1,700-square-foot home.
"My SRP bill in May was $66. Last June it was $80," he said. "I've been here 30 years now and my highest summer bill was $143 last July."
But those who like to keep their home a little warmer than most Arizonans in the summer face another issue. Another reader describes it best.
"In summer, I have my thermostat set at 80 (during the) days and 79 at night," Bob Radisich said. "This makes it easier to adjust to outside temps, but means I have to wear a jacket at most businesses."
Try these:6 easy air conditioner tips to keep the cool air coming in the Arizona heat
How readers keep their thermostat and electric bills low
On the other end of the AC preferences spectrum, Bonnie Bauer said she and her husband are among the group that could barely tolerate temperatures above 75 inside their house.
"We are probably in the minority as we set our AC at 73 degrees," Bauer said. And rightly so.
She said they turn the thermostat up to 74 during the peak hours of 3-6 p.m. on their SRP plan, but they have an extra window AC unit in the master bedroom that they like to use to keep that room cooler.
"That allows my husband to cool that room to 68," Bauer said. "Yes, he hates the heat."
'It’s amazing what that one degree feels like'
Regardless of the temperature you decide to set your house at, most Arizonans agree air conditioning is nothing less than a necessity in the Grand Canyon state. It took Cave Creek resident Lacey Insel a taste of summer without AC to know that.
Insel and her husband have lived in Arizona for about 40 years. Back when they bought their first home in the state in 1987, they tried to survive only with an evaporative cooler to save money on electricity.
The task, however, proved unfeasible.
"Once we experienced the monsoon season, we knew we had to have AC!," Insel said.
Still, Insel and her husband keep their home warmer than most to try to lessen the financial burden during the summer.
"We set our summer temperature at 80 degrees for the daytime. We are on APS so we follow the 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. rule," Insel said.
But she secretly prefers her home cooler than her husband does, she said. When she arrives home and her husband is not there yet, she admitted she likes to lower the AC by just about one degree.
"Sometimes I lower the temp to 79 when Jeff goes to work at the Musical Instrument Museum," Insel said. "It’s amazing what that one degree feels like. I use several fans to help feel cooler."
Laura Daniella Sepulveda is a trending reporter for the Arizona Republic. Reach her on Twitter at @lauradaniella_s or by email at laura.sepulveda@gannett.com.
