Dog Days & Energy Smarts
Tips to Beat the Summer Heat — For You and Your Pup!
As the dog days of summer arrive, the heat is on — and so is your A/C. But that doesn’t mean your energy bill has to soar. With a few smart habits, you can stay comfortable and keep costs in check.
Quick Tips to Save Energy This Summer
• Raise your thermostat. Set your thermostat to 78° or higher to avoid overworking your A/C system. The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temp, the more you’ll save.
• Run appliances wisely. Avoid running heat-generating appliances like the dryer and oven during the hottest parts of the day. This simple step reduces the workload on your cooling system and prevents unnecessary heat buildup inside your home.
• Close curtains and blinds. During extreme heat, keep your home cooler by closing curtains, blinds, and shades, especially during the hottest part of the day, to block sunlight and heat. Don’t forget to also seal windows and doors to keep the cool air in and the hot air out!
• Use ceiling fans efficiently. Ceiling fans cool people, not rooms, so turn them off in unoccupied rooms. In the summer, set your fan to rotate counterclockwise (switch down) to create a downward airflow and a cooling windchill effect.
• Switch to LED bulbs and unplug electronics. LED bulbs use approximately 80% less energy than incandescent ones and unplugged electronics eliminate “phantom energy” draw. Both actions lead to significant energy savings.
Want to see how your energy use adds up? Try our home energy calculators at joemc.com/energywise.
