Stay cool this summer

Summer’s coming! Stay cool and comfortable without burning up your pocketbook with these energy and money saving ideas:

• Open the windows. On mild days and cool, dry nights, open your windows and let the outdoors do the air conditioning for you.



• Shut out the heat. Close shades, blinds and draperies on south- and west-facing windows to reduce solar heat gain during the day.



• Use a ceiling fan. Set fans to rotate counter-clockwise to push air downward and create a cooling breeze. Remember that fans cool people, not rooms – so you’ll save money by turning fans off when rooms are unoccupied.



• Limit indoor cooking on warm days, or just fire up the grill. Use smaller appliances for smaller meals, such as a toaster oven or microwave.



• Reduce appliance waste heat. Run heat-producing appliances such as dishwashers and clothes washers at night or early in the morning to avoid adding heat and moisture to your home.



• Look for the STAR. ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, electronics and lighting save energy and money compared to standard models.


Source: Focus on Energy’s ENERGY STAR Extra