10 Proven Ways To Trim Your Energy Costs
While Enduring Another Sizzling Texas Summer
Information courtesy of | City of College Station Blog
With 100-degree days being the norm these days, households are using significantly more electricity to stay cool. Here are 10 sensible ways you can trim your electric costs.
1. Air conditioning systems account for 50% of summer electrical usage. An essential conservation step is raising the thermostat setting, with each degree reducing cooling costs by up to 5%
2. Using ceiling fans with a raised thermostat can maintain comfort and save energy. Fans use about as much energy as a typical light bulb.
3. Turn off lights, fans, and electronics when a room is unoccupied.
4. Replace incandescent and CFL lighting with low-wattage LEDs, which use 50-90% less energy.
5. Do laundry in the evening or at night when temperatures are cooler.
6. Use cold water whenever possible when washing your clothes.
7. Run the dishwasher only when you have a full load.
8. Replace your air conditioner’s filter frequently. Dirty filters can decrease airflow and increase costs by as much as 20%.
9. Consider a Wi-Fi programmable (smart) thermostat, allowing remote and precise control of your air conditioning system.
10. Take advantage of CSU’s Energy Back II, Residential LED Lighting, and Connected Thermostat rebates.
We can also help discover problem areas in your home and find solutions through anEnergy Audit. Meanwhile, you can keep tabs on your electric usage by accessing real time data from your advanced electric meter.
For more information on how to reduce your electricity costs, contact me at pmcintyre@cstx.gov or 979-764-6343. For billing questions, call Utility Customer Service at 979-764-3535.