As temperatures continue to rise, so will electricity consumption driven by the use of fans and air conditioners. What can you do to stay cool and save money? Thanks to Green Home for passing along these tips:
- Close your drapes and blinds during the day.
- Set your air conditioner thermostat to 78 or higher when at home. Turn it to 85 degrees or off, when you leave. (Air conditioners make up as much as 60% of summer energy bills.)
- Clean or replace air conditioning filters.
- Use fans to circulate air (they can allow you to set the thermostat at least 4 degrees higher.)
- Turn off lights when not needed; three fourths of the electricity used by the average light bulb becomes wasted heat.
- Use heat-producing appliances such as ovens, dishwashers and clothes dryers in the morning.
The Department of Energy says the most effective way to keep your home cool is to prevent heat from building up in the first place. A big source of heat buildup is sunlight, absorbed by your home's roof, walls and windows.
So try a new paint job. Light colored surfaces effectively reflect most of the heat away from the house. Or, get out in your garden and plant some trees. Trees planted on the south and on the west sides will help keep your house cool in the summer, and still allow the sun to shine in the windows in the winter.
Try some of these tips to keep cool this summer and cut energy costs at the same time.
Comments(0)