10 Tips to Beat Triple-Digit Temps
Summertime is the best time: swimming pools, backyard BBQs, road trips, fireworks…and high energy use. OK, so maybe that last part isn’t the best.
You don’t have to let high energy use wreck your fun. Here are 10 tips to save energy and money this summer.
1. Turn out the lights during the day
You’ve got access to the best overhead light there is: the sun! For an easy way to save this summer, turn off your home lights during the day.
This works well even when you’re working from home, but is especially beneficial if you’re back in the office and the house is empty.
2. Use bathroom ceiling fans
You know the phrase: “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity?” In your bathroom, it’s both. So, if you have worked up a sweat exercising outside, working in the yard, or simply walking to the mailbox, a nice shower is a must. But be sure to run the bathroom fan while you bathe to remove heat and humidity from accumulating in your home (and forcing your A/C to work harder).
3. Don’t overwork your A/C
Nothing works harder than your A/C during a typical Oklahoma summer. To save the optimum amount of energy and money, while still keeping your home safe and comfortable, try to keep it a steady 73 degrees.
Don’t turn off your A/C, though. Not only are you making yourself needlessly uncomfortable, but your A/C will actually use more energy making up the difference when you turn it back on.
4. Consider cooking outside
Your electric-powered stove and oven are two of your biggest energy users in the kitchen. So, when the weather is a little cooler in the evening, consider firing up the grill and making your meals outside.
You can even meal prep for the week in one cooking session, so you don’t have to keep going outside throughout the week. Just prep your meals throughout the week, then re-heat them in the microwave, which uses much less electricity than stoves and ovens.
5. Use a programmable thermostat
Now that you’re an adult you can totally understand why your dad didn’t want you to touch the thermostat. With a programmable thermostat you won’t have to!
A programmable thermostat automatically adjusts your home’s temperature based on its settings. Plus, when you enroll in the Power Hours program, you get a $50 e-gift card for enrolling, plus $25 e-gift card at the end of peak season.
6. Fans are fantastic
Just because you’re limiting your A/C use doesn’t mean you have to sweat it out. Run fans instead!
Fans use a fraction of the energy of an A/C unit, but they circulate cool air throughout the room. Remember: Fans cool people, not rooms, so if you’re not there, don’t forget to turn off the fan.
7. Clean your A/C
Your air conditioner is a machine. And like any machine, it can get messy, especially during the fall and winter.
A clean A/C is a happy A/C, so it’s important to routinely replace or clean the air filters. Clogged or dirty filters block airflow, meaning your A/C has to work harder to cool your home, costing you a lot of money in the process. You can reduce your A/C’s energy consumption by up to 15% just by replacing a dirty filter with a clean one.
8. Maximize your laundry loads
Hot days mean sweaty clothes. But while washing your clothes is a must in this sweltering weather, constant runs through the washer and dryer can use up a lot of energy if you’re not careful.
Maximize your load size to get the most bang for your buck. You can even go old-school and dry your clothes outside.
9. Pick a heat pump water heater
Thinking about taking cold showers? We’ve got a better idea: Switch to a heat pump water heater (HPWH) instead.
While conventional electric-resistance water heaters generate heat directly, a HPWH moves heat from one place to another. Basically, it’s recycling heat throughout your home, saving you money in the process.
In fact, a HPWH is two to three times more energy efficient than conventional water heaters. Plus, if you get a qualifying ENERGY STAR® certified HPWH, you can also get a $500 rebate from PSO.
10. Keep doing what you’ve been doing
You know all those energy-saving habits you’re already following? They still work during the summer! So, unplug your electronics. Switch to an advanced power strip. Load up your washing machine and dishwasher. Check your attic insulation level. Switch to LED light bulbs. Follow these habits (and more) to lower your energy bill during the summer — and all year long!
Try these 10 simple tips so you can worry less about you household’s energy use and more about what really matters: having the best summer ever!