Beat the Heat: Save Energy & Money in Warm Weather
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners spend $11 billion every year to power their air conditioners. As temperatures rise, there are ways to keep your home cool and lower your energy bills – check out the tips below.
- Close window coverings to keep rooms cool.
- Run ceiling fans clockwise to push cool air down; using a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about four degrees without impacting your comfort.
- Turn off fans in unoccupied rooms – fans cool people, not rooms.
- Cook quick meals that require less stovetop and oven time.
- Grill outdoors to reduce the amount of heat inside the home and the demand on the air conditioner.
- Take cool showers to reduce the need for water-heating energy.
- Dry clothes outside on a clothesline instead of using the dryer.
- Clean and replace your cooling unit’s filters on a regular basis – it’s the simplest way to save money on home cooling.
- Keep the thermostat at the highest temperature comfortable: 78° F or higher with the fan on “auto” mode. To save more, set the thermostat at 82° F or higher when no one is home.
- Ensure your thermostat is positioned on an interior wall away from direct sunlight, drafts, doorways and windows, to prevent inaccurate temperature readings.
- Move furniture, decorative items and appliances away from air conditioning vents.
Set It & Forget It!
Take control of energy expenses and boost energy efficiency by using a programmable thermostat – it’s affordable and easy to use! Programmable thermostats can optimize energy efficiency by keeping the house warmer than normal when unoccupied, or overnight, and then restore cooler temperatures according to your schedule. Find out more about programmable thermostats in the
Elizabethtown Gas Marketplace.