Summer Tips for Staying Cool and Saving Money

July 2, 2010 by Green Irene
Filed under Energy

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With the summer season in full swing, it’s a perfect time to think about ways to reduce your home’s cooling costs. A typical household spends almost 20% of its utility bill on cooling, and by taking steps this summer to improve energy efficiency, you can save energy, save money and help fight climate change. Here are a few simple tips from the Energy Star program that can help you to start saving today:

Program your thermostat to work around your family’s summer schedule—set it a few degrees higher (such as 78 degrees) when no one is home, so your cooling system isn’t cooling an empty house. With proper use, programmable thermostats can save you about $180 a year in energy costs.

Check your HVAC system’s air filter every month. If the filter looks dirty, clean or change it (though disposable filters should be changed at least every three months). A dirty filter will slow air flow and make the system work harder to keep you cool, wasting energy. Green Irene carries several permanent filter options, including permanent rigid and permanent flexible HVAC air filters, and a pleated MERV 13 filter.

Run your ceiling fan to create a cool breeze. If you raise your thermostat by only two degrees and use your ceiling fan, you can lower cooling costs by up to 14 percent. Remember that ceiling fans cool you, not the room, so when you leave the room make sure to turn off the fan.

For those with central air conditioning, a Cool-n-Save can help to save you up to 30% on your cooling bill. The device keeps the air surrounding your AC unit cooler, allowing it to work less and to work more efficiently.

Swap out incandescent bulbs with more energy-efficient lighting choices. Energy Star qualified lighting not only uses less energy, it also produces about 75 percent less heat than incandescent lighting, so cooling bills will be reduced, too. Green Irene carries a full line of energy efficient lighting, including LED lighting options for chandeliers, where the larger number of bulbs can give off a lot of heat.

Your local Green Irene Eco-Consultant can provide you with many more tips for energy conservation in the summer months as part of a Green Home Makeover. They can also introduce you to many of the other products that Green Irene carries to help you and your family save money through energy conservation. With just a few steps, you can make a big difference in your utility bill and for the environment while keeping your home comfortable all summer long.

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