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Summer has arrived and the temperature is rising. Now the goal is to find ways to keep your bills at a reasonable level. Every May, when we have the first eighty degree day, I’m always tempted to put on the air conditioner at full blast. It feels so good but you I get that guilty feeling that this isn’t a wise decision. There are a number of ways you can stay cool, help the environment and keep your energy bills down. Here’s a list of five ways you can cut down on your energy bill this summer as you prepare for the inevitably costly bills in the winter that’s right around the corner:

 

  1. Eliminate unnecessary energy use. This tip would fit any list for any time of the year, but why not start now? Use your microwave instead of your oven or stove. Use the dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand. Turn lights off when you leave the room. You get the idea; the less energy you use the lower your bill and the better for the environment.

  2. Monitor your air conditioner use. As in the first tip, turn off the air conditioning when you go to work or are going to be out of the house for an extended period of time. Consider putting a whole house fan in your attic that will draw cool air during the nighttime and push hot air out. This will lead you to be less reliant on the air conditioner.

  3. Clean the filters in your air conditioner. This is an easy way to conserve energy but most of us never even think of it. By changing or cleaning the air filter in your air conditioner you’re going to make your air conditioner more efficient. It will not have to run as much as it does when dirty to cool your house down.

  4. Turn the dryer off. If you’re lucky to live in an area of the country that doesn’t get bogged down with oppressive humidity use a clothes line to dry your clothes instead of using the dryer. You’ll save a bundle of energy using nature to help you dry your clothes.

  5. Turn up the heat. When you leave for the day turn up your thermostat over 80 degrees if you’ve installed ceiling fans. This way you can keep the air circulating but not wasting the energy of keeping the A/C on all day.

 

This post was contributed by Heather Johnson, who writes on the subject of ATT Rewards Card. She invites your feedback at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.

 



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