As the spring season winds to a close and we approach the summer months, thoughts quickly go to all the money we’ll be spending as we’re forced to use air conditioning to stay cool. The good news is that if you can adapt a few electricity use habits, you can cut down your monthly bills considerably.
To get started, here are some quick tips to follow:
- Only use Energy Star products – The quickest way to bring your energy usage down is to only use products that have been certified by Energy Star. This includes your A/C unit, ceiling fans, electronic devices and others.
- Increase the thermostat’s temperature – Raising the temperature only a few degrees will save you a good deal of energy.
- Turn off lights – If you’re not in a room, leaving the lights on will do nothing but waste electricity.
- Unplug appliances – Devices like cell phone chargers, video game systems and Blu-ray players continue to use a small amount of power even when they’re not in use. Either unplug them or connect them to a surge protector and turn it off to cut the power.
- Switch to more efficient lights – Traditional light bulbs are going the way of the dinosaur. New energy-efficient models like compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use much less energy than the old bulbs.
- Use fans in lieu of A/C – Fans use much less electricity than the air conditioner. If a fan makes you comfortable, why waste energy?
- Use those fans wisely – Remember this simple mantra: fans cool people, not rooms. So when you’re not in the room, there’s no reason to keep the fan going.
- Avoid the dryer – If possible, hang clothes out to air dry so you don’t have to run the dryer. If you have no choice, dry large loads only.
For more expert advice on electricity use habits, or if you have other questions about home comfort, contact Meyer’s. We’ve been serving the needs of Griffith, Munster, Highland, St. John, Schererville, Gary and the surrounding areas since 1951.