Don’t Let Summer Stress Out Your Electricity Bill

Summer temperatures are here and homes are already starting to crank up the A/C.  Prepare for a stress free summer by taking these simple steps to help reduce your home’s electricity consumption as well as lowering your electricity bill!

  • Get your A/C Unit inspected before summer!  Dust build-up on the coils reduces the cooling effect, causing the unit to use more electricity.
  • Replace air filters on a monthly basis.  Especially during the summer, the clogged, dirty filters block normal air flow and significantly reduce your A/C system’s efficiency.
  • Replace you’re A/C Unit if it’s too old.  Compared to a 15-year old unit, today’s energy efficient models use 30-50% less electricity. Be sure to look for one with the ENERGY STAR label.
  • Properly seal all doors and windows.  This will keep the cool air in and the warm air out. Weatherstripping and caulking are inexpensive, easy and an essential parts of home energy-efficiency.
  • Install a programmable thermostat.  These thermostats automatically adjust the temperature while you are sleeping or away from your home.  This can save you up to 10% on your cooling bills.
  • Stock up your fridge.  Having more food in your refrigerator prevents the temperature from getting warmer each time you open the refrigerator door.
  • Use your stove less.  While rushing from one summer activity to the next, heat up a lunch in the microwave instead of on the stove to avoid heating your indoor living space as well as being late. Microwaves also use two-thirds less energy as opposed to your stove.
  • Check and repair duct work.  In the typical home, ducts allow 25-30% of air conditioning to escape into a hot attic.
  • Shade your windows.  Put blinds or shades on your windows. Blinds that are highly reflective can reduce the heat gain in your home by almost 45%. Don’t forget to close the blinds and shades on the south and west part of your house during the day.  You can also apply solar film to south-facing windows to prevent solar gain.
  • Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).  CFLs last 10 times longer and use about 72% less energy than a standard bulb. These use 60-80% less energy and also stay cooler than halogen bulbs.

Find more ways to save energy at home by visiting the Green Mountain Energy Saver Center.

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