5 SMART WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY DURING HOT SUMMER

It doesn’t matter if you rent or own, these five low- and no-cost tips will ensure you won’t get burned by your energy bill this summer.

1. Run your AC more economically. Remember: The smaller the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures throughout the summer season, the less you’ll spend. Set your AC’s thermostat to 78ºF instead of 72ºF (if you don’t mind some heat) and you could lop off as much as 18 percent from your summer cooling costs.“Setting your AC as high as is comfortably possible and using a programmable thermostat to increase temperature when you’re out, or asleep, could easily decrease your summer cooling bill by 10 percent,” says Christina Kielich, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Energy.  Walking in to a hot house? Well, turning the AC to a colder-than-normal setting won’t cool rooms any faster. “You’ll probably forget you turned it down in the first place, resulting in pointless spending,” adds Kielich.
2. Use a ceiling fan or other circulating fan. Although a fan doesn’t technically cool a room, it  does make it more comfortable. The wind-chill effect can make it feel six or seven degrees cooler.“Just remember to turn off the fan when no one’s enjoying it. Otherwise, you waste electricity,” says Ronnie Kweller, spokesperson for the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy, which promotes worldwide energy-conservation initiatives. If you also use an air conditioner, a ceiling fan helps disperse cooled air more efficiently and allows you to raise its thermostat by as much as four degrees with little or no discomfort.
3. Maintain cooling systems.  Using an energy-efficient AC and installing a programmable thermostat are both good things to do but if you don’t properly care for your equipment, it won’t reduce your cooling costs. Dirty AC filters block airflow and make units work harder to cool your home. Cleaning and/or replacing filters once per month will lower an AC’s energy consumption by 5 to 15 percent. If you have a central cooling system, be sure floor registers aren’t blocked with dust—or furniture. A unit’s evaporator and condenser coils (located outside) should also be clear of dirt and other debris (fallen leaves, branches, grass). And clip foliage so that it always remains at least two feet from the condenser.
4. Don’t make it hotter. Whenever the outdoor temperature exceeds the temperature inside your home, don’t make things hotter by cooking on the stovetop, using the dishwasher or clothes dryer. Get outside and grill — leave the heat in the yard! Washing dishes by hand, letting them air-dry and hanging clothes on a clothesline all keep the extra heat out. Save these activities after dark when th e temperatures drop. If you must bathe during the heat of the day, always use the bathroom exhaust fan to spot-ventilate and remove excess heat and humidity. Computers, stereos and TVs are also big heat-generators. By simple avoidance, you’ll be saving money on electricity—and what it would cost to make that AC work overtime.
5. Close curtains, blinds and shades. When completely closed and lowered on a sunny window, highly reflective blinds can reduce heat gain by around 45 percent. Try to use light-colored treatments: The lighter the hue, the more they’ll deflect the sun’s scorching rays. Hang shades as close to windowpanes as possible, as this enables them to also block outdoor heat from radiating inside.

Consider insulated and/or reflective shades, which will also save you money come heating season.