Many businesses and residents alike have noticed a jump in their electric bill caused by everything from increased use of air conditioning to standard utility prices rising due to higher demand in the summer months. To help you shave some of those extra electricity costs at home, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) recently released the following eight summer energy conservation tips:
- During the day, block the heat from the sun by closing windows, doors and curtains.
- To save money on cooling costs turn the thermostat up when you are away from home. Raising the temperature by 5 degrees for eight hours can reduce your cooling costs by 3–5 percent.
- Look for an air conditioning unit that is ENERGY STAR® approved.
- Avoid creating unnecessary heat and humidity in the house during summer days. Plan to do heat and moisture-creating activities such as washing dishes, doing laundry, bathing and cooking before noon or after 8 p.m.
- Limit the amount of time you run kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans. Only run them for as long as it takes to get rid of any odors to minimize losing cool air.
- If you use a window air conditioning unit, make sure it fits correctly into the window to reduce the amount of cool air lost.
- Consider using a window fan, which requires as little as 1/10 the amount of energy needed to run an air conditioner.
- If furniture is covering vents and is effecting air flow, the air conditioning will have to work harder to reach the desired temperature. Keep vents clear for maximum results.