10 + Tips to Beat the Heat

Here in NEPA, we have gone from cold and rainy to HOT,HOT, HOT in a few days!  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, I LOVE the warm weather but I know that a lot of people don’t feel that way and I know that higher temps can wreak havoc on electric bills so I have compiled 10+ Tips to Beat the Heat.

In Your Home

• Avoid setting your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and, therefore, unnecessary expense.
• Consider using an interior fan along with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air through your home without greatly increasing your power use.
• Use a ceiling fan–Ceiling fans will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4 degrees without reducing your comfort.
• Avoid placing appliances that give off heat, such as lamps or TVs, near a thermostat.
• Open windows – Opening windows creates a cross- breeze, allowing you to naturally cool your home without switching on air conditioners.
• Change the direction of airflow on your ceiling fan – In the winter, the fan should push warm air toward the floor and rotate clockwise. In spring, switch the direction so the blades move counter-clockwise and draw air upward, cooling the room and ensuring constant airflow.

In The Kitchen

• Use small electric pans, toaster ovens, or convection ovens for small meals rather than your large stove or oven. A toaster or convection oven uses one-third to one-half as much energy as a full-sized oven.
• Use microwaves and slow cookers when possible. They use less energy than the stove or oven.

When You Leave

• Adjust your thermostat. You don’t need to waste energy cooling your home while you’re not there. During your summer retreat, turn the A/C off or set the thermostat to 85-87 degrees. Just be sure the temperature isn’t set too high for any plants or pets staying behind.
• Turn off all fans. If you use fans often in your home, turn them off or unplug them when you leave. Remember— fans cool people, not rooms.
• Close your curtains and shades. Even though you’ve already turned up your thermostat, blocking out the sun will keep your home at a more consistent temperature and your HVAC will have even less work to do.

Outside Your Home

• Update your landscaping – Landscaping doesn’t only add beauty to your home, but it can also improve your home’s comfort and lower your energy bills. On average, a well-designed landscape saves enough energy to pay for itself in less than eight years. Check out the Department of Energy’s website to determine what climate zone you live in and the top 3 landscaping strategies by climate.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Project Envolve, a division of PPL Electric.  As always my opinion is 100% my own.