With the cost of energy and fossil fuels rising throughout the summer, Southern Trust Home Services, a leading electrical, HVAC and plumbing company serving southwest Virginia, says homeowners should employ a number of tips and tricks to lower their utility and energy costs while still staying cool.
"Utility bills in Virginia and all across the country could spike as much as 12 to 20% this season, so finding ways to save money on our summer energy bills is a priority for most homeowners," said Ted Puzio, owner of Southern Trust Home Services. "There are a number of ways we can reduce our energy costs this summer while still beating the heat."
Puzio recommends:
- Installing ceiling fans or placing box fans around the home. Fans don't cool the air themselves, but they do assist a home's air conditioning unit by moving colder air around. Fans also help dry the humid air that can hold heat.
- Upgrade or tune-up the air conditioner. Air conditioning units need to be properly maintained to work at their most efficient, so homeowners should have their system tuned up on a yearly basis. However, if a home's AC unit is more than 15 years old, a homeowner should consider upgrading to a newer system that has a high ENERGY STAR Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating.
- Add low-flow water fixtures. Since water use increases in the summer, homeowners can find more savings by adding low-flow fixtures to their showerheads, toilets and outdoor sprinklers. Garden lovers should also only water first thing in the morning or late in the evening to allow plants to soak up their fill. Afternoon sun can evaporate the water before plant roots can drink it in.
- Close the blinds and seal up the home. Keeping blinds closed during the middle of the day blocks the heat of the afternoon sun which lessens the work on air conditioners. Adding weather stripping to doors and windows can also keep cool air from leaking out of the home.
- Turn up the thermostat. Raising the thermostat by a few degrees can save hundreds of dollars each summer. Coupled with adding ceiling and box fans, homeowners can save money while still moving cool air throughout the home.
- Cook outdoors or later at night. Instead of firing up the stove for the evening meal, homeowners can keep the heat outside by grilling their dinners on the patio. Families can also opt for cooking meals in slow cookers all day or by waiting until the sun goes down to turn on the oven.
"And, as always, we recommend that people stay hydrated. Drinking more water is not only healthy, it helps you stay cool," Puzio said. "These tips help homeowners save money, and they also lessen the strain on their municipality's power grid, which can prevent brownouts and blackouts. We should all be doing our parts to save money and energy this summer."
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