Beat summer heat without large electric bills
Posted by Guest Blogger on June 13, 2016
Don’t
let your monthly electric bill put a damper on the joy of summer. Below are some tips for keeping your home cool and your electric bill in check.
Adjust the thermostat
Set the temperature between 78 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and you could save up to 8 percent on monthly cooling bills. Programmable
thermostats make it easy to save by offering pre-programmed settings to regulate your home's temperature throughout the year.
Keep air moving
Fans won’t
replace an air conditioner or a heat pump, but they move the air so everyone feels more comfortable. On
milder days when an air conditioner may not be needed, fans can save as much as 60 percent on electric bills. Fans
cool people, not rooms, so turn them off when you leave.
Regular maintenance is essential
Maintenance is the most important factor in ensuring your system remains energy efficient. Wright-Hennepin (WH) recommends that members have their HVAC systems serviced annually or semi-annually by
a NATE (North American Technician Excellence)-certified technician.These HVAC professionals will check the entire system to make sure it is running efficiently. This will help extend the life of
the system and save money.
Efficient equipment
When it’s
time to replace a cooling system, purchase an ENERGY STAR-qualified model. This could reduce energy costs by as much as 30 percent.Rebates on qualifying appliances are available, but some are
limited on a first-come, first-served basis, so check out
WH’s
rebate page
.
Size it right
Too often, cooling equipment isn’t
sized properly and could lead to higher electric bills. A unit that is too large for your home will not cool evenly and might produce higher humidity indoors. That’s
why it is important to talk with the professionals at WH at
(763) 477-3000
.