Save money on air conditioning with these alternatives

Triple-digit heat is hitting the Central Valley, and for some, that means the AC will be on all the time.

According to PG&E electricity prices are the most expensive between June and September.

Mix that with peak pricing in the evenings, and that could result in a hefty bill.

Luckily, there are alternatives.

Professionals at Fresno Ag Hardware say there are a few different ways to keep costs down.

One of the most popular is fans.

They're energy-efficient, but different factors determine how they'll keep you cool.

Associate Clyde Phelps says to consider the size of the fan, where you want to put it and how big the space is.

"Consider air that's 80 degrees, and you circulate that air, and it feels like maybe 76 or 77 degrees," said Phelps.

If you're looking for something with a little more kick, manager Sig Virela says an air cooler evaporator could be a great solution.

They work best in conjunction with your AC.

The advantage here is you can keep your air conditioner at a higher temperature and let the fan do the work; they're also portable.

These can be found at most hardware stores and will set you back a couple of hundred dollars.

"Some of my customers out in the country that live in mobile homes and they have single-wide trailers, they'll put that puppy in the living room on full blast and it'll blow down that hallway and keep them pretty cool," said Virela.

A simple way to make your AC unit more productive is by changing the air filter, that is if you haven't already.

Generators are expensive but offer protection during outages.

"If you have somebody in your home that is ill that they need to have certain medical machines on all the time no matter what having a backup generator is a great idea," said Virela.

If you need to be outside, consider installing a mister or using a fan mister hybrid.

Some other outdoor cooling methods include a cooling solar-powered hat priced at around $35 or a cooling towel which will only run you $10.