Stay cool inside as the summer heats up! Summer Energy Saving Tips

In some of our XOOM Energy service areas, summer temperatures can be extreme. This can require an almost constant air conditioning, especially if your home isn’t as energy efficient as it could be.   Use these tips from The Wire to keep your home cool and comfortable until the summer heat breaks and help save on your energy costs.

Master the Thermostat

Nothing feels better than coming into your house on a hot and humid day and feeling the immediate chill of the air conditioning set to high. However, you might start sweating again when you see your first summer energy bill. Try setting your thermostat to 78 degrees (F) or whatever might be comfortable for you. For every degree you move up your thermostat can help save on your energy bill.

Minimize Airflow- Keep the cool inside

Cool air can quickly escape from your home through doors, windows, and other small gaps. Minimizing the loss of cool air and the infiltration of warm air can make a considerable difference in your home’s efficiency, especially during the summer. To maintain your home’s thermal envelope, use caulk to seal up any gaps and install weather-stripping around windows and doors to further increase efficiency.

Keep the Air Moving with Ceiling Fans

  A ceiling fan can make an air-conditioned room feel up to four degrees cooler. This cooling effect allows you to turn up your thermostat and save even more energy. However, cooling by convection only affects your perceived temperature and not the actual ambient air temperature in the room. In other words, you’ll feel cool when in the same room as the fan, but the overall temperature of your home will not change. So, remember to turn off your fans when you leave a room.

Reduce Your Appliance Use

Minimizing your appliance use may seem like an obvious way to reduce your electric bill, in doing so can also keep your home cooler. Appliances like computers, hair dryers, and speakers produce a moderate amount of heat; dishwashers and ovens produce even more. To keep your home cooler, consider cooking outside or using a microwave on hot days. To reduce your electric usage even more, try to fill your dishwasher and washing machine completely each time you use them, and if possible, wait to run them at night when temperatures are lower. Use cold water to wash clothing; water heating is a major energy consumer, even in the summer.

KeepYour Central Air Well Maintained

Most HVAC manufacturers suggest you change the air filters every 90 days to make sure the air conditioner runs a peak level. Changing out the air filters will help reduce potential maintenance issues and ensure your home stays cool this summer. Remembering to change your air filters can be difficult. Our friends at FilterSnap can help! With FilterSnap’s subscription delivery service you can receive the size air filters you need right to your doorstep. XOOM Energy customers enjoy 10% discount on every order from FilterSnap. You can learn more at www.filtersnap.com/xoomenergy.