Summer should be fun, but high electricity bills are a bummer. You can keep your bill as low as possible by following this one tip to use less energy.
We talked to ElectriCities’ energy advisors Alan Miller and John Keever about the tip that has the potential to save you the most money each month.
John and Alan are energy efficiency experts who evaluate homes and businesses in public power communities to find money-saving efficiencies year-round.
“In the summer, cooling your home usually uses the most electricity each month,” Alan said. “Typically, your air conditioning unit runs around the clock to keep the indoors cool while outside temperatures soar.”
“That means a majority of your bill is directly impacted by the temperature that you keep your home,” John said.
John and Alan suggest keeping your thermostat set as close to 78°F as you can manage. Each degree lower can increase cooling costs by 3-5%.
You can increase your savings even more by bumping up the temperature to 80°F when you leave the house. Some thermostats have programmable settings based on the time of day, and some can be controlled remotely by your phone. Remember to think of your pets and keep the house comfortable for them too.
John and Alan recognize that 78°F may seem uncomfortable, but that temperature represents major savings. They suggest testing it out for a month to see the change it makes on your bill. They also highlight three more money-saving tips here.
To stay cooler at this temperature, consider running a fan in rooms with people or pets. Fans use little electricity, so they won’t run up your bill. For additional savings, turn off the fan when you leave the room.
Keep in mind that each month, you’re billed for the electricity you used the previous month. So, put this tip into practice this month to see the impact on next month’s bill.
If you’re interested in more energy efficiency tips or having John or Alan evaluate your home for opportunities to improve your energy efficiency, please reach out to your local public power utility. Check out our map and find your public power community.