Summer energy saving tips, rebates, and programs
Just because the temperature is rising doesn’t mean your electric bill has to! Save with these energy-efficiency tips.
Posted by Lauren Dublin on July 17, 2023
Just because the temperature is rising doesn’t mean your electric bill has to! Save with these energy-efficiency tips.
- Get your AC tuned up with WH Appliance Repair. As a WH Appliance Repair customer, you can choose five appliances you’d like parts and labor repair coverage for, at one flat rate of $18.75 a month. Add on an optional AC tune-up to make sure your AC is running at its most efficient on those hot summer days. Learn more on our website. Have a friend who isn’t a Wright-Hennepin (WH) member? As long as they live in our service territory, they can still be a WH Appliance Repair customer!
- Adjust the thermostat. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the best way to minimize utility costs while still staying cool is keeping your house warm during the day when nobody is home and then setting the thermostat as high as comfortably possible when you are. If you need a programmable thermostat, you can find several options at the Energy Wise MN Store. (link to energywisemnstore.com). Plus, now through August 31, 2023, save 30% on specialty LED lightbulbs, which are naturally cooler than incandescent bulbs.
- Close the blinds. Sunlight is great after a long Minnesota winter, but consider closing the shades, especially on south-facing windows, during the hottest part of the day from noon to about 4 p.m. Radiant heat won’t warm up your interior, so your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard, saving you money! The U.S. Department of Energy’s webpage about energy-efficient window coverings shares that “studies demonstrate that medium-colored draperies with white-plastic backings can reduce heat gains by 33%.”
- Avoid the oven. Get out the grill, or check out these 32 no-bake meal ideas from Real Simple. If you have to use the oven, plan ahead and put foods that can be cooked at the same temperature in together, so you can turn the oven off sooner! Avoid opening the door as much as possible; your oven can lose up to 25 degrees of internal temperature each time, heating your house up and meaning you’ll have to keep the oven on longer to cook your dinner all the way through.
- Adjust your ceiling fan. Ceiling fans should go counterclockwise in the summer to help create a downdraft. Remember, fans cool people, not spaces, so turn them off when you leave the room for even more energy savings. Fans make you feel cooler through the wind chill effect, moving air over your skin to more quickly evaporate sweat. Simply swirling air around the room can’t lower the temperature like an AC unit can, so turn those fans off when you leave the room!
- Join WH’s Energy-Saving Programs. WH offers several Energy-Saving Programs for members, including home cooling and for electric vehicle charging. Learn more about WH’s Energy-Saving Programs on our website or give our Member Services Representatives a call at (763) 477-3000.
We hope these tips help keep you cool this summer!
