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For Electric Cooperative Members
Energy Efficiency

Don’t Sweat Summer Bills

Relax and enjoy lower energy costs

A few simple steps can help you lower your electric bills this summer:

• Keep blinds or shades closed. When open, the sun can really heat up a room. Turn off the lights when not needed. They add heat just like sunlight does.

• Clothes dryers are energy intensive and produce heat. Try using a clothesline instead. Run only full loads in your clothes washer and wash with cold water.

• Look around and see where you think cool air might escape. Any door that can be closed should be closed. That leaves less living space to cool.

• Consider doing exercise outside. The less movement you do inside, the less heat you produce.

• Set the A/C thermostat and leave it. Bring in cool morning air with a box fan in a window. Shut windows as the day warms up.

• If you have a central air system, keep the fan setting in the “on” position instead of “auto.” It will circulate the air throughout your home and make it feel cooler.

• Leave the house for a trip outside or to the library, a store or the movies. When you do go, make sure everything is turned off and items that use standby power—such as electric coffee pots, TVs and computers—are unplugged.

• If it’s cool at night, open the windows and turn the thermostat off. It feels so great to have a nice, cool breeze while sleeping.