Summer can be an expensive time of year for your utilities. Aside from turning off appliances, lights, etc when not in use, there are other things you can do to save a few bucks on your electric bill during the hot summer months. That said, we thought of sharing with you some tips to help cool off your energy bills this summer.
How to Save Energy During the Summer
Keep your cool
- Close the blinds or drapes on windows that receive direct sunlight. You may also consider adding some plants in front of your sunny windows. This will help provide cooling shade and fresh air.
- Keep windows and doors closed to prevent the loss of cooled air. Inspect your home for air leaks.
- Open windows to let cooler air in when safe. In the morning before the day starts to heat up, close windows and blinds to keep the sun from heating up your home.
- Opt for fans instead of AC. (But verify energy efficiency, in some cases, inverter A/Cs consume less energy than conventional fans.)
- Clean or replace your filters. A dirty filter forces your air conditioner and furnace to work harder, wasting money and energy.
Adjust the temperature
- When you are not home, set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher. Increasing your air conditioner 7 to 10 degrees 8 hours a day can save up to 10 percent on cooling costs.
- Use smart or programmable thermostat features to help maintain energy savings when you are not home. Consumers who use programmable thermostats can save up to 10 percent annually on heating and cooling costs.
Appliance use
- Use heat-producing appliances like the oven, dishwasher, clothes washer, and dryer during cooler times of the day when they will not be competing with your AC.
- Run your dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer only when full.
- Consider hanging your clothes outside to dry to save energy.
Your lifestyle
- Try going somewhere cool. On hot afternoons, consider going somewhere cool like the community pool, library or a community-cooling center. But before you leave, remember to adjust your thermostat.
- Put down your phone. The more you use your gadgets, the more there will be a need to recharge them. Spend some time in the great summer weather or doing something that will not require technology like reading a book instead of looking at your screen.
- Save energy and avoid heating up your home by grilling outside or eating no-cook meals like salad. Use a microwave or Crockpot to cook instead of an oven which consumes more energy.
Do you have any more energy saving tips? Share with us in the comments!
Source: flexalert.org
