Summer energy saving tips

Staying cool

• No one wants to use an oven in the summer, but other appliances also generate heat. Do your laundry, cooking and baking in the morning or at night if possible.
• Incandescent bulbs produce heat. Keep unnecessary lights turned off, and remind your family to do the same! Even better, switch your bulbs to LEDs.
• Tour your house and check that all your HVAC registers are clear and uncovered. You want the cool air from your air conditioner to flow unobstructed.
• Switch your ceiling fan to run counterclockwise. This creates a wind-chill effect, so that you feel cooler. Remember to turn off the fan when you leave the room!

Saving money

• Got a spare fridge in the garage? Move it inside where it won’t have to work as hard to keep food cool.
• Raise the thermostat to 78 to 80 degrees whenever you go to bed or leave the house. A programmable or learning thermostat will do this for you automatically.
• Pull the shades or close the blinds before you leave for work in the morning. This keeps the sun from bringing even more heat into your house throughout the day.
• Make sure your window air conditioner is the proper size. It's better to get one that's too small than too large - a larger unit will start up and turn off more frequently and won't do as good a job dehumidifying the air.