Save in the Summer

Tips

• Cool down with a fan. Fans keep air circulating, allowing you to raise the thermostat a few degrees and stay just as comfortable while reducing your air-conditioning costs.
• The ceiling fan direction in summer should be counterclockwise to help create a downdraft, which creates that direct, cooling breeze.
• Turn off fans when leaving the room. Fans cool people, not rooms.
• Close your shades in the summer. Sunlight passing through windows heats your home and makes your air conditioner work harder.
• Dark colors absorb heat. You can repel excess heat by using light-colored blinds, shades, and draperies on the sunny sides of the house. Make sure the draperies are insulated or lined.
• Avoid using your oven on hot days. Instead, cook on the stove, use a microwave oven, or grill outside.
• During the summer, keep thermostats set at 78 degrees or higher when home when you are home, health permitting. Raising the temperature setting an additional 3 to 5 degrees while you are away can help save even more.
• Wait until cooler times of the day to do tasks that make your house warmer, like laundry and cooking.
• Ensure that the fresh air vent on your window air-conditioner is closed to avoid spending extra money on cooling outside air.
• Hang laundry outside. Take advantage of warm summer days to bypass your dryer and let your clothes air dry.
• Turn off lights in rooms that aren’t in use.
• Use natural lighting early in the day and late in the afternoon to reduce your energy usage.
• Turn off kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans 15 minutes after the job is complete or install 15-minute timers on bathroom ventilator fans.
• Caulk gaps and cracks around drafty doorframes and windows to prevent cold air from escaping your home.
• Keep your garage door down.  A cooler garage in the summer will help save energy.

Summer Energy Savings Video Playlist