Beat the Heat and Save Energy

Summer is a great time of year — synonymous with sunshine and vacation. But in Georgia, summer also means it’s hot and humid. Really hot and humid! To keep your home cool and humidity low, your air conditioner will likely run more, causing your energy use to go up. One way to get the best bang for your electric dollar during the summer heat is to keep conditioned air inside your home. Follow the electric tips below to help reduce your energy use and enjoy summer again!

STOP AIR LEAKS
Add weather-stripping on doors and windows and caulk the cracks and plumbing penetrations to deep cool air inside and hot air from leaking into your home.

PUT YOUR HOME IN SUMMER MODE
During the summer, it’s best to run your ceiling fan in the 
counter clockwise position. Only keep fans on when people are in the room. Fans cool people, not the air. Also, if you built fires in the winter, make sure the damper to your fireplace is closed so that the cool air can’t sneak out through the chimney.

MAINTAIN YOUR HVAC EQUIPMENT
Make sure there are no leaves, grass or shrubs blocking airflow to your outside HVAC unit. Clear at least six feet above the unit and two feet around the coils to optimize efficiency. We recommend getting your HVAC system serviced and coils cleaned
by a heating and air contractor each year to extend the life of your system.

INSTALL A SMART THERMOSTAT
A smart thermostat allows you to set different temperatures for different time periods throughout the day. Once you program it, you won’t have to touch it again. You can also control the system from your smartphone.

PROPERLY INSULATE YOUR ATTIC
Install recommended levels of insulation to lower cooling costs. On warm days, attic temperatures can get up to 140 degrees. Recommended levels of insulation vary. Contact us to help you determine the right level for your home.

USE OUR ONLINE ENERGY TOOLS
In our online Energy Efficiency Center, you will find tools to help you conserve energy in your home. The Billing Insights Calculator will help you break down your energy usage using your bills and allow you to perform energy saving scenarios to pinpoint opportunities for savings. In addition, you can use the Appliance Calculator to determine what it is costing to operate
each appliance in your home. Visit www.tri-countyemc.com/energy-calculator.cms for more information.

SCHEDULE AN IN-HOME ENERGY AUDIT
If you want to take your energy savings a step further, contact us for an In-Home Energy Audit. Our Energy Services Representative will evaluate your home to find out where you are using the most energy and help you determine ways to conserve. This audit is free to Tri-County EMC members. To schedule an audit, contact us at 1.866.254.8100. 

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• Tags:
• energy tips
• summer heat

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