Be Cool On Summer Months

Welcome summer! To some, summer month is much awaited because of activities they had planned with families and friends. The thing is, while we enjoy outdoor activities we are unable to avoid also indoor activities that might be a bit costly to the one in charge of family budget. One of the most expensive bills that you encounter during summer months is your electricity bills. Here are some tips on how to save on your summer months electric bills.

CEILING FANS Ceiling fans will create a breeze over your body. This spreads the cold air more evenly and will make you feel more comfortable. The fan direction should be down for summers and up for winters. Turn fans off when not in the room.

CLOSE AC VENTS Closing the cooling vents in an unoccupied room can save up to 5-10% on your cooling costs

DAMPERS If you have a fireplace, keep the damper tightly closed when not in use. A glass fire screen can help minimize the loss of conditioned air.

KEEP THE SUN OUT Keep blinds or draperies closed on sunny days to help keep heat out. This is especially important on any windows or glass doors receiving direct sunlight.

KEEP DOORS CLOSED Shut the door or at least try to minimize the number of times that doors to the outside are opened and closed. Each time you open the door air from the outdoors enters the house.

OUTLETS Electric outlets can let hot air into the house. Remove the outlet covers and insert special foam insulation underneath. Use special insulating plugs in all outlets that are not being used.

OUTSIDE VENTS If a room air conditioner has a fresh air intake, or exhaust vent, keep the vent closed

PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT A programmable thermostat lets you easily raise the thermostat during periods when no one is home, as well as raise the temperature overnight. You might save as much as 20% on your cooling costs and recover your investment in the first year.

TEMPERATURE SETTINGS Set the thermostat at 78° F or higher. Each degree below 78° F means more energy usage. Set thermostat even higher when you are not at home. Portable fans can help you feel comfortable at higher thermostat settings.

THERMOSTAT CHECK Check the accuracy of the thermostat by placing a thermometer next to the thermostat and comparing the readings for room temperature. You may be cooling your home more than you think. An inaccurate thermostat may indicate 78° F when the room is really 72° F, increasing your cooling cost by 30 percent or more.

THERMOSTAT SETTINGS Set the fan switch on a central system or room air conditioner on "automatic" instead of "on" or "continuous."

WEATHERIZATION Make sure the weather stripping around doors and windows is in good condition.