Everybody loves summer, right? We love the sunny days, the warmth, and let’s not forget our summer vacations! But one thing we DON’T love are those high energy bills that greet us at the end of each summer month. But it doesn’t always have to be that way; by practicing a bit of home energy efficiency, you can bring those bills right down and use that money for better things – like shopping for clothes to wear on your vacation!
Here are some tips on how you can save money and energy this summer:
- Keep your thermostat away from heat sources like lamps, for example, to stop your thermostat from misreading the real room temperature (and turning on the air conditioner to compensate).
- Set your indoor temperature at 78˚F – you could save 3-5% off your energy bill.
- Use a ceiling fan to cool rooms. It works great with an air conditioner set on low, and when you set it to rotate counter-clockwise, it creates a wind chill effect.
- Take advantage of longer sunny days and use natural light instead of electric.
- Keep your refrigerator/freezer temperatures at 36˚F – 42˚F for fridges and -5˚F – +6˚F for freezers; this is more than enough and avoids electricity wastage.
- Draw (or install if you don’t have them) blinds in your rooms; shutting out sunlight during the day will keep rooms cooler.
- Use a dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air; less humidity makes you feel cooler and reduces the workload on your air conditioner.
- Make sure you have an energy efficient air conditioner. SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) ratings of 10.0 or higher for split air conditioners, and 9.7 for package ones are recognized as energy efficient. Units 10 years or older are likely to have an efficiency rating of 7.5 SEER or less, and so should be replaced.
- If you have a pool, don’t run the pump 24 hours a day! 4-6 hours is more than enough and can save you a significant amount of money.
- Set your water temperature to 120˚F, as it requires less energy to heat water to a lower temperature.
By following these few tips, you can make your summer cooler and keep your energy costs in check. For more tips on how to save energy and reduce your energy bills, take a tour of the RESNET Smart Home.