Summer is in full swing in Tennessee, and with rising temperatures and humidity, heat-and-air conditioning units are working overtime. Middle Tennessee Electric is reminding members to find ways to keep cool while reducing their energy consumption to avoid high bills.
“Finding ways to stay cool while conserving energy can seem difficult when the heat index is in the triple-digits,” said MTEMC Communications Coordinator Josh Clendenen. “But little things like turning your thermostat up one-degree can save you money each month.”
Typically, HVAC can account for about half of a member’s electric bill, and the heat makes them work even harder. Setting it to the highest comfortable temperature can result in savings.
“The summer months are a lot like the winter months when it comes to high bills,” said Clendenen. “That’s one of the reasons we encourage members to make even small adjustments, like closing blinds to keep the sun out, because it will help reduce their consumption, which helps control their bill.”
Here are 10 quick ways to conserve energy this summer:
1. Close the drapes on the sunny side of the house during the day. This will help cut down the natural heating of your home, which will cut back on the strain of your heat-and-air unit.
2. Set the thermostat to the highest comfortable temperature. Moving the thermostat up one degree means as much as a three-percent reduction in your electric bill.
3. Take a quick inventory of your home, and see what you might be able to turn off or unplug such as cell phone chargers, TVs, or lights when you leave a room.
4. Keep cooling system filters clean.
5. Keep air vents clear of obstructions.
6. Replace light bulbs with compact fluorescent or LED bulbs that produce more light and last up to 10 times longer, while conserving energy.
7. Wash full loads of clothes in the coolest water possible. Rinse clothes in cold water.
8. Keep the temperature between 36 degrees and 40 degrees in the refrigerator and 0 degrees and 5 degrees in the freezer. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to check the settings.
9. Stop the dryer as soon as clothes are dry, or use the moisture sensor control to automatically shut off the dryer. Over drying wastes energy and sets in wrinkles.
10. Dry loads one right after another. You’ll use less energy because the dryer is already heated.
“The best thing a member can do if they receive a high bill is to call us,” said Clendenen. “We want to work with members as much as we can, but unless they call us, we have no idea there may be a problem until it’s too late.”