Stay Cool During August Heat

Timolina | iStock.com

Unless you keep your thermostat so low that you send your cooling bill through the roof in August, it’s a good idea to find some energy-friendly ways to keep your cool during the hottest month of the year.

Here are five tips:

Take cool showers. If your house isn’t cold—and there’s no reason it should be, even with the air conditioner on—ease up on the hot showers. A cool shower will lower your body temperature and get you just as clean.

Chill the meal plan. Instead of baking, broiling, boiling, sautéing or frying every night, opt for chopping fresh veggies, making colorful salads and satisfying your family’s hunger with healthy raw foods that will fill them up and give your stove and oven a break. Cold desserts? That’s the easy part. You can’t go wrong with sorbet or ice cream straight from the freezer.

Filter the sun. Install solar screens or window films on east- and west-facing windows so you can keep the heat out while still allowing light in.

Seal leaks and cracks. You’ll find them all over your home—around windows, doors, and electrical and cable outlets. It’s easy to caulk and weatherstrip, and it’s an activity you can do with your kids as you teach them to use energy responsibly.

Schedule a checkup. Even if you skipped your air conditioner’s spring maintenance, go ahead and schedule it now. Your HVAC tech can tell you if your air conditioning unit is running efficiently—and can tweak it so it does. It’s important to raise the thermostat a bit during the summer—but also to make sure the cool air that does come into the home gets there efficiently.

Bonus tip: Set your thermostat 1-2 degrees warmer to save up to 10% on your air conditioning costs.
 

Make Improvements With The Energy Saver Program

Want to make improvements but can't afford to pay out of pocket? BEC's Energy Saver Program may be a good fit for you. With the program you can upgrade or replace your HVAC, furnace, windows, doors, insulation and more with zero down, interest-free, on-bill financing. Visit BanderaElectric.com/EnergySaver to learn more.