They can manage their electric consumption more efficiently.
As summer heat blankets more than 185 million Americans and cooling costs climb 10.5% above last year, households find themselves caught between physical comfort and financial strain. Electricity prices, driven upward by data centers, natural gas markets, and aging grid infrastructure, are outpacing inflation itself — a convergence that turns the simple act of staying cool into an economic decision. Energy experts counsel not deprivation, but discipline: gradual adaptation, modest thermostat targets, and the quiet wisdom of closing one's blinds against the afternoon sun.
- Cooling costs are surging 10.5% this summer, hitting hardest in cities already under heat alerts — Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. among them.
- Electricity prices are rising faster than overall inflation, pressured by data center demand, elevated gas prices, and the mounting cost of grid maintenance.
- Energy experts warn against abrupt thermostat changes, urging instead a gradual one-degree adjustment every few days — each degree trimming roughly 3% from the electric bill.
- The 78°F benchmark has become a rallying point, with New York City's mayor publicly calling on residents to hold that line and setting the same standard in municipal buildings.
- Beyond the thermostat, blocking direct sunlight and maintaining AC units offer compounding savings — with shorter payback periods now that electricity costs are so elevated.
The heat is relentless this summer, and so are the bills. With more than 185 million Americans under heat alerts in early July and cooling costs projected to jump 10.5% over last year, households are facing a punishing choice between comfort and cost. Electricity prices have climbed faster than inflation, driven by data centers consuming ever more power, elevated natural gas prices, and the ongoing expense of maintaining the electrical grid.
Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, sees a middle path. Rather than abandoning air conditioning altogether, he recommends raising the thermostat by one degree every couple of days — a gradual adjustment that allows the body to adapt while yielding roughly 3% in savings per degree. The target most experts keep returning to is 78°F, a temperature New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly urged residents to adopt, with the city itself following suit in municipal buildings.
The savings don't stop at the thermostat. Closing blinds and shutters during the hottest parts of the day can meaningfully reduce indoor temperatures without touching the AC at all. Keeping the unit itself well-maintained matters too — a serviced system runs more efficiently, and with electricity prices this high, the payback on that investment comes faster than it once did.
The summer ahead will test millions of Americans. But the path forward isn't about suffering without cooling — it's about using it more deliberately. Small adjustments, compounded over weeks, can trim 10% or more from cooling costs. When every dollar counts, that is far from nothing.
The heat is relentless this summer, and so are the bills. As much of the country bakes through another stretch of extreme temperatures—with more than 185 million people under heat alerts as of early July, including residents of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.—households are bracing for the financial hit. Cooling costs are expected to jump 10.5% compared to last year, part of a broader trend in which electricity prices have climbed faster than inflation itself. The culprits are familiar: data centers consuming ever more power, elevated natural gas prices, and the ongoing expense of maintaining and upgrading the electrical grid.
For most Americans, the math is brutal. You can either run the air conditioner and watch your utility bill soar, or you can sweat it out and save money. But Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, sees a middle path. "There's nothing people can do about the price of electricity," he told CBS News. "But they can manage their electric consumption more efficiently." The key is not to go cold turkey on cooling. Instead, Wolfe recommends a gradual approach: raise your thermostat by one degree every couple of days over the course of a week or two. Each degree of adjustment yields roughly 3% in savings on your electric bill.
The target number that keeps circulating among energy experts is 78 degrees Fahrenheit. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani made this explicit in a public appeal to residents, asking them to set their thermostats at that level to ease pressure on the power grid. The city itself is following the same rule in municipal buildings and dimming lights where possible. Wolfe describes 78 degrees as "at the upper end of comfort" for most people—not ideal, but livable, especially if you're making the adjustment slowly enough that your body adapts. He also notes that you can push the temperature higher when you're away from home, then lower it again when you return, creating a kind of thermal compromise.
Beyond the thermostat, there are other moves worth making. Wolfe emphasizes the importance of blocking direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day by closing blinds, shades, or shutters. "Blocking direct sunlight can significantly reduce indoor temperatures," he said. It's a simple intervention, but it works. Equally important is maintaining your air conditioning unit itself. A well-serviced system uses less electricity than one that's been neglected. Repairs and replacements are expensive, Wolfe acknowledges, but because electricity costs are so high right now, the payback period on that maintenance investment is shorter than it used to be. In other words, fixing your AC now might save you money faster than you'd expect.
The summer ahead will test the patience of millions of Americans. The heat is not going anywhere, and neither are the bills. But the path forward is not about suffering through without air conditioning. It's about using it smarter—adjusting gradually, maintaining your equipment, and blocking the sun. Small changes, compounded, can trim 10% or more from your cooling costs. That's not nothing when every dollar counts.
Notable Quotes
There's nothing people can do about the price of electricity. But they can manage their electric consumption more efficiently.— Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association
Blocking direct sunlight can significantly reduce indoor temperatures.— Mark Wolfe
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does electricity cost so much more now than it did a few years ago?
Three main things are pushing prices up. Data centers—the servers that power cloud computing and AI—are consuming enormous amounts of electricity. Natural gas prices have climbed. And the electrical grid itself needs constant repairs and upgrades, which utilities pass along to customers.
So if I raise my thermostat to 78 degrees, I'm actually saving 3% per degree?
That's what the research shows. It's not magic—it's just that air conditioning is one of the biggest energy draws in a home. Every degree you're willing to tolerate without cooling is electricity you're not using.
But 78 degrees sounds unbearable in a heat wave.
It would be if you jumped there overnight. That's why Wolfe recommends going up one degree every couple of days. Your body adjusts. By the time you reach 78, it doesn't feel as shocking as it would if you'd cranked it up all at once.
What about people who can't afford to maintain their AC units?
That's the harder problem. Maintenance costs money upfront. But Wolfe's point is that in this environment of high electricity prices, that investment pays for itself faster than before. If you can afford the repair, it's worth doing now rather than waiting.
Is 78 degrees really the maximum anyone should go?
Wolfe calls it the upper end of comfort. Some people might tolerate higher; others might find it genuinely difficult. The point is it's a reasonable target that balances personal comfort with grid stability and your own wallet.