Save Energy and Money This Summer
Let’s start with these easy energy saving tips:
- Start by turning your thermostat up to 75 to 78 degrees. If you feel that’s too warm then wear shorts in the house. 78 degrees compared to the 90 degree heat outside is a big difference. You can also install a programmable thermostat to adjust temperatures automatically.
- Turn off the ceiling fans in the rooms that you are not using. What’s the use of a fan running when no one is in the room to enjoy it? And while you’re at it, pull the shades or close the drapes so the powerful summer sunlight is shut out. This will definitely help cool your house down.
- If you own a pool then you must have noticed the spike in your energy bill while it’s running during the summer. You should run the pump on the pool for six hours or less a day. There’s absolutely no reason to keep it running all day long.
- Remember that filter in your air conditioning unit? Most people forget about it. Well you should change it once a month, or at the very least clean it so your unit is running efficiently. When that filter becomes clogged with dirt it becomes very difficult for the air to pass through it – and just think about all the germs in that filter, ugh!
- For long term energy savings start to think about replacing your old heating and cooling units with energy efficient products. There is a variety to choose from now, such as the ENERGY STAR models, which also provide savings on your washer and dryer units, and major appliances. Another smart choice for saving money and energy are tankless water heaters, which only use energy when you are using hot water. There is never any stand by heat loss. And their prices are beginning to come down.
Well there you have it, a collection of resourceful tips that are easy to implement. So when the heat starts to rise, you’ll stay cool knowing that you’re doing your part to save energy and money this summer.
About the Author
The following is a guest post from Kathryn Katz, a Certified Personal Finance Counselor who works for Consolidated Credit Counseling Services in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Their non-profit agency helps families through financial crisis using credit counseling, debt consolidation and financial education. For more energy saving tips, visit http://www.consolidatedcredit.org/debt-learning-center/save-energy-save-money.aspx.
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