One easy way to help keep your air conditioning system from working overtime on hot days is to wash clothes and dishes after dark and avoid the oven and stove.
Appliances that produce heat while they’re working can counteract the best efforts of your AC to keep your home cool. Among the worst offenders are TVs, dishwashers, clothes dryers, stoves and refrigerators.
You can’t choose when to run your fridge, obviously. But you can wait until the sun goes down and the outdoor air cools off a bit to run your dishwasher and clothes dryer.
Peak demand is when electricity use is highest and supply can be constrained. As a general rule of thumb, off-peak is after 9 p.m. and before 9 a.m.
And try to avoid using your stove altogether on the hottest days; instead, serve refreshing, cool salads for dinner or grill outdoors.
If you’re in the market for new appliances, choose models with the Energy Star label. They’re guaranteed to be more energy-efficient and put off less wasted heat than older ones.