You moved to Las Vegas. You love it nine months a year. Then June hits and your electric bill looks like a car payment. We've been in this business long enough to know what actually works and what's a waste of money when it comes to keeping a Vegas house cool.
Your windows are the problem. Seriously. In a typical Las Vegas home, 40-50% of your cooling load comes from solar heat gain through windows. Your AC isn't struggling because it's broken -- it's struggling because your house is a greenhouse.
Solar screens on your west and south-facing windows will make the single biggest difference per dollar spent. They block 80-90% of solar heat before it hits the glass. Most of our customers see their summer electric bills drop $60-120/month after installing screens on the worst windows.
West-facing windows are the priority. That afternoon sun from about 2 PM to sunset is what cooks your house. South-facing is second. East doesn't matter as much because morning sun isn't as intense.
NV Energy recommends 78 degrees when you're home. Most people we talk to keep it at 72-74 and pay for it. Here's a compromise that works: 76 during the day, 74 at night. Every degree below 78 adds about 3-4% to your cooling cost.
A programmable thermostat that bumps up to 82-84 when nobody's home saves real money. Your house will cool back down in 20-30 minutes when you come home. You won't notice the difference but your bill will.
A ceiling fan running counterclockwise (pushing air down) lets you set the thermostat 4 degrees higher without feeling warmer. That's a 12-16% reduction in cooling cost for a fan that draws about $0.01/hour in electricity. Best return on investment in the house.
Check your door sweeps, window seals, and any penetrations where pipes or wires come through walls. Las Vegas homes leak conditioned air constantly through these gaps. A $20 tube of caulk and $15 door sweep can save you $30-50/month in summer. Walk around your house with an incense stick on a windy day -- wherever the smoke moves, you're losing cool air.
Your outdoor AC unit works harder when it's sitting in direct sun. If you can shade it with a structure (not bushes too close -- it needs airflow) the compressor runs more efficiently. A simple shade sail or lattice screen 3 feet away from the unit can make a measurable difference.
Attic fans. They help in humid climates but Vegas attics are dry heat. The ROI isn't there for most homes here.
Reflective roof coatings on an existing tile roof. If you're re-roofing anyway, sure, go lighter. But coating an existing roof for energy savings alone rarely pencils out.
Blackout curtains as your only solution. They help, but they work from the inside -- the heat already got through the glass. Exterior solutions (screens, awnings) are always more effective than interior ones.