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Here's how much your AC will cost this summer as heatwaves hit
The cost of keeping cool this summer is expected to rise 8 percent to an average of $719, according to grim new predictions.
The total cost covering the four months from June through September is up from $661 last year - as temperatures soar across the US.
But in the hottest areas, such as Texas and Louisiana, it will cost more than $850 for the four months.
Americans are bracing for record temperatures - with an early-summer heatwave hitting Nevada and a deadly 'heat dome' engulfing parts of Texas and California this week.
In the last decade, the cost of keeping homes cool over the summer has jumped by more than 50 percent from $476 in 2014, according to new analysis from non-profit consumer groups.
It is yet another price hike for inflation-weary Americans - with residents in some areas due to be hit harder by higher bills than others.
The cost of keeping cool this summer is expected to rise by nearly 8 percent to an average of $719 for the four months from June through September
The joint research - from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) and the Center for Energy Poverty, and Climate (CEPC) - showed bills would rise most in the hottest areas such as California.
'There are two components to a summer electric bill - one is the cost of fuel, and second is how much you use,' CEPC director Mark Wolfe said during a press conference on Monday.
While electricity prices have fallen slightly, usage is expected to rise this year as temperatures hit record highs.
'You'll need more electricity to get through the summer,' he added.
According to the forecast, those living in the Mid-Atlantic - which includes New York and New Jersey - and those living in the Pacific region - including California - are due to see energy prices increase by 12 percent this summer compared to 2023.
Americans in the East South Central region - which includes Mississippi and Alabama - and in the East North Central region could see price spikes of around 10 percent.
For example, in the East North Central region, which includes Midwestern states such as Illinois and Ohio, the average bill is predicted to rise from $524 in 2023 to $581 for the summer period - a difference of $57.
The West South Central states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana will be hit with the highest bills this summer, according to the predictions.
On average, residents will have to pay $858 to keep their homes cool in the coming months - up marginally from $843 last year.
The NEADA and CEPC warned that the estimates could understate the final costs of home cooling this summer if temperatures continue to reach record levels.
There are steps that you can take to keep your home cool in the summer, according to supplier Octopus Energy.
The firm's CEO Michael Lee told DailyMail.com how weather proofing your home, closing blinds to block out sunlight, changing your AC filter and thinking about how you can optimize your energy usage can help bring down bills.
But while rising temperatures are a cost burden for some Americans, they pose a serious health risk for others.
Nearly 20 percent of low income families have no air conditioning, according to the report, placing them in danger during periods of extreme temperatures.
Others may have air conditioning but choose not to turn it on for fear of not being able to afford their electricity bill.
While for some Americans rising temperatures may be a cost burden, for others it could pose serious health risks
'In less extreme situations, a family can ride out a hot day by opening their windows, taking a cool shower, and hoping it cools down at night,' the report said.
'But when the heat persists for weeks, or the outside air is dangerous, opening a window will only make things worse.'
The report warns that while many Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills, federal assistance for bills was cut by $2 billion this year.
About 80 percent of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds will be used for heating, it said, leaving only 20 percent available for home cooling - despite global warming pushing up temperatures.
The report's authors also warn that only 17 states and the District of Columbia prohibit energy companies from shutting off power during heat waves for households which fall behind on their bill payments.
'Because of the lack of a coherent policy to address summer cooling, people will die this summer from heatstroke,' Wolfe told CNN. 'We will have unnecessary deaths.'