Seven tips for a productive summer.
Story and Photography Courtesy MidAmerican Energy
Featured in Summer 2026
For some, summer is all about lounging poolside or hitting the road with adventure in mind. For others, summer is when we finally have time to get things done. Do your summer plans include a long list of home projects? You can tackle your to-dos without blowing your budget!
From A/C tune-ups to appliance recycling and more, MidAmerican Energy has a variety of programs designed to help you save energy and money. Let’s explore seven of them:
1. Learn How Energy Is Used in Your Home
Ever wonder how much energy you and your family might be using on a monthly basis? MidAmerican’s HomeCheck® Online energy assessment is a free tool that analyzes how your lifestyle and habits can affect your home energy use and monthly bill. It can also provide information on what uses the most energy in your home and will give you personalized tips to help you reduce your energy use. Plus, you can recheck every month to see if your energy habits have changed and learn about more ways you can save energy and money.
2. Control Cooling Costs with a Smart Thermostat
With the higher summer temperatures, it’s natural to crank up the A/C – but keeping your home at an icy temp all summer long can take a toll on your monthly energy bill. That’s why upgrading to an ENERGY STAR®-certified smart thermostat can be a great way to help gain control over your home’s rising cooling costs.
Plus, you can save up to $100 on a new smart thermostat through MidAmerican’s online marketplace, where various models of smart thermostats are sold at discounted rates.
3. Help Out the Grid, Earn Money
Summer tends to be a time when energy demand can increase greatly, putting a strain on your community’s energy grid. So, whether you already own a smart thermostat or purchase one through MidAmerican’s online marketplace, you can join MidAmerican’s SummerSaver program to help relieve the stress – plus earn an extra $40 each year. It’s a win-win. Here’s what you need to know:
- The program runs from June 1 – September 30, every year
- You need a smart thermostat to participate
- MidAmerican will adjust your A/C, but only from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays (no holidays)
4. Get a Discounted A/C Tune-Up
Over time, heating and cooling equipment naturally loses efficiency due to wear, dirt buildup, refrigerant loss or just putting off maintenance due to the cost.
To make it easier and more affordable, MidAmerican provides incentives for heating and cooling equipment tune-ups through the Equipment Tune-Up offering. It’s a helpful way for you to improve the performance, reliability and energy efficiency of your existing heating and cooling systems without breaking the bank.
5. Save on Heating and Cooling Upgrades
Is your unit beyond a tune-up and ready to be replaced? Whether your A/C unit is on its last leg or you want to install a new furnace or heat pump before summer ends, MidAmerican offers Instant Discounts that can help you save money on heating and cooling equipment upgrades. These discounts are only available through participating providers and are automatically deducted from the purchase price – no paperwork needed!
6. Rid Yourself of That Old Fridge or Freezer
Looking to replace your old refrigerator with one that can hold a full-sized watermelon and enough beverages to cover your next backyard BBQ? Good news! MidAmerican will haul away and recycle your old, working refrigerator or freezer for free. Plus, you’ll get $50 via your preferred payment method – check, Venmo or PayPal. You can schedule your free pickup time online.
7. Save On New Appliance Rebates
Get money back when you purchase a new ENERGY STAR®-certified appliance. MidAmerican offers rebates on appliances such as clothes washers, electric clothes dryers, freezers or refrigerators and more for your home.
Explore All Ways to Save Energy and Money
If you have a home project, MidAmerican has a program. So, before you cross off your summer to-do list, visit MidAmericanEnergy.com to explore all your options for saving energy and money.
