With summer here in full blast, homeowners need to be mindful of their energy usage in an effort to save some extra cash. Below are a few tips to help conserve energy consumption as the days get hotter:
- Even though it may be a beautiful day outside, try to keep your shades closed as much as possible, especially when no one is home. The sunlight shining in your home may cause you to accumulate solar heat gain which will have your air conditioning working overtime to stay at the thermostat level.
- If you didn’t do this during the spring, now is a good time to check those air filters while performing your spring cleaning. A dirty filter can cause your AC unit to work even harder to get to the optimum temperature, so it is important that they are changed regularly.
- Make sure certain household appliances are unplugged when not in use. Items such as toasters, chargers, lamps, electric razors, computers, coffee machines, etc. all use electricity even though you may not be using them. It’s a good idea to unplug these items until you are ready to use them again.
- Make sure there aren’t any lights on in rooms that no one is occupying. Lights can cause a homeowner to use a lot of energy, especially if energy saving light bulbs are not being used. Lights also generate heat, and if you have the air conditioner running the last thing you want to do is make a room hotter.
- Only use dishwashers and washing machines when there is a full load and also use cool water when applicable. Be sure to change the dryer lint trap after every use and avoid using heat dry on your dish washers.
- Avoid turning your AC on and off; it’s better to keep the thermostat around 76-78 degrees. Setting your thermostat 5 degrees higher than normal can help you save on cooling costs.