Summer Energy-Saving Tips

Don’t let your summer electric bills skyrocket with the temperatures! There’s plenty you can do to save energy and money.

• When home, set your thermostat to 78°.
• Going out for the day? By turning your thermostat up 10°-15° when you’re out of the house, you can cut your electric bill by up to 15 percent. That’s a savings of up to 1 percent for every degree you raise your thermostat (based on eight hours).
• Run appliances like dish washers and dryers late in the evening to keep the heat from affecting your comfort.
• Close your shades and blinds during the heat of the day to shut out that hot summer sun.
• Ceiling fans are a great way to move air around the house and make it feel cooler by creating a wind chill.
• Use cold water to wash clothes.
• Seal cracks around doors and windows make to help keep the cool air inside and the hot, summer air outside.
• Remember to unplug electric chargers, televisions and any appliances when you are not using them.
• Shade your electric bill by planting trees on the south side of your home.

TRACK THE TEMPS

The local heating and cooling degree-day analysis is a good way to understand why your electric usage fluctuates from month to month.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Learn how much it costs to operate your dishwasher, oven, desktop computer, hot tub and other appliances each month with our Estimated Electrical Consumption chart.

TOGETHER WE SAVE

Take the Virtual Home Tour on TogetherWeSave.com to find even more ways to cut costs. You will “walk” through a home’s family room, kitchen, laundry room, bedroom, basement and attic. Each area reveals at least two actions you can take to improve your home’s energy efficiency. As you move through the room and complete the suggested changes you will see a running tally of potential energy dollar savings.

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