Energy Insights: 8 Simple Summer Energy-Saving Tips
Summer is in full swing, and the heat can make it tempting to turn down your thermostat and put the air conditioner on blast. While nothing beats the feeling of walking in from the sweltering heat to a cool and comfortable home, achieving that ideal temperature can increase your summer energy bills. Here are a few tips that can help you beat the heat and save energy!
Set It and Forget It
A programmable or smart thermostat can keep your home cool when you need it–and avoid running your air conditioner when you don’t. If you have a consistent schedule, you can automatically set your thermostat to an efficient 78 degrees (25 degrees Celsius) when you are home and 83 degrees (28 degrees Celsius) when you’re at work or away.
Fans are Your Friend
When the house feels stuffy on a warm day, ignore your instinct to switch on the air conditioner and give fans a try first. Using ceiling fans and electric fans costs less than blasting the air conditioning. To make the most of this energy-efficient technology, strategically place fans around the house to help blow cool air around.
Grill It!
Summers and backyard cookouts go hand-in-hand. It’s the perfect energy-saving method of cooking — you aren’t heating up your house.
Hit Pause on the Chores
When the major appliances in your house are running, the temperature inside spikes. Try to give your AC a break by running the washing machine, dryer, and dishwasher early in the morning or at night when it’s typically cooler out. Also, try only running full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher, and opt to line dry your clothes.
Play Keep Away
It might seem like a minor thing, but keep lamps and other hot items like TVs, computers, and irons away from the thermostat. It can sense the heat generated from these things, which will make the AC think the room is warmer than it is.
In Hot Water
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, water heating accounts for about 18% of the energy consumed in your home. Since there’s no need to take long hot showers or baths in the summer, turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting.
Light the way
Still have old incandescent bulbs hanging around your home? They lose approximately 90% of their energy as heat. By replacing just 5 of these bulbs with ENERGY STAR® LED bulbs, you can save up to $100 per year in energy costs – and avoid that extra bulb heat that adds to your cooling costs.
Look for the ENERGY STAR
About 6% of the average U.S. household’s energy use goes to space cooling. When buying a new air conditioning unit or other appliances, always look for the ENERGY STAR label, which signifies it’s among the most energy-efficient on the market. Choose the smallest unit appropriate for the size of your space to get the most comfort and bang for your buck.
