Energy Saving Tips
Has your Public Service bill gone up this summer?
Try these energy saving tips to beat the heat and cool down that bill!
Plant Trees For Shade Deciduous trees – those that produce leaves in the spring and lose them in the fall – shade your house from the sun during summer and let the sun warm your house in winter. Shading your home could save up to 8 percent oncooling costs.
Change Your Air Conditioning Filter Clean or replace your central air conditioner’s (AC) filter monthly during the cooling season to improve efficiency and the life of your AC.
Consider A Whole House Or Attic Fan Through your open windows, a whole house or attic fan draws cool nighttime air in and forces out hot air that built up during the day. These fans work best in drier climates.
Use Ceiling Fans To Cool Your House The most efficient ceiling fans cost as little as 30-cents a month if used eight hours a day. A window air conditioner can cost 50 times as much as a fan. Ceiling fans will keep the air moving and allow you to keep the thermostat setting higher because moving air feels cooler.
Raise Your Thermostat Setting You can save approximately $100 in a summer by raising your thermostat’s temperature from 72 to 78 degrees.
Open Windows On Cool Nights On cool days and nights, turn off your air conditioner and open your windows. Don’t open windows when the outside temperature is warmer than the inside of your house.
Keep Air Conditioner Coils Dust-Free Keep the coils of your central air conditioner and/or window AC unit free of dust and dirt to increase efficiency and lifetime use. Coils are usually on the back of window AC units.
Match The Output Of Your AC To The Space You Cool When you buy an air conditioner – central air or a window unit – make sure the output of the system is right for the size of the room or the size of your house to ensure efficiency and comfort.Check the manufacturer’s recommendations or consult with a reputable AC vendor in advance to ensure proper sizing.
Use a Programmable Thermostat This device can save as much as 12 percent on cooling costs by automatically turning your cooling system up or down to coincide with your daily routine. For example, set your temperature to 85 degrees when you're away.
Provide Shading For Your Air Conditioning Condenser Your central air conditioner’s condenser works more efficiently at cooler temperatures. Provide shade around your air conditioner to reduce your cooling costs by nearly 3 percent.
Want to learn about other ways you can save money and energy...Check out this money saving tip guide from Xcel Energy
