Keep Your Home and Wallet Cool This Summer
David Deem
714-997-3486
With summer temps soaring, your home and your bank account may take a hit. To help, Consumers Energy offers the following tips to help reduce summer energy use, and ease the financial strain of sky-high cooling bills.
- Set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you're home and higher when you're away. You'll typically save 1 to 3 percent on cooling costs for every degree you dial up.
- Clean your air conditioning filter regularly. Dusty filters can make your appliance work harder, wasting energy.
- Install a smart thermostat and program it to start your air conditioner shortly before you get home. Consumers Energy offers rebates of up to $100 on Wi-Fi enabled thermostats.
- Seal leaks in your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you could save up to 30 percent on annual energy costs by doing so. Inspect and seal around doors, windows, recessed lights and attic hatches.
- Keep cool with fans. A ceiling fan cools fast and costs less than air conditioning. You can also reduce the need for air conditioning by installing an attic fan. Run your ceiling fan counterclockwise, pushing air downward to cool more efficiently.
- Close drapes, shades and blinds during the day to prevent the sun from heating your home unnecessarily. Open windows and doors in early morning and in the evening to let cooler air in.
- Use your stove, oven, dishwasher and clothes dryer in the morning or evening when it's cooler outside. They add extra heat to your home and make your air conditioner work harder.
Source: Consumers Energy
DRE#01266522
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