TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— With the summer heat in full effect and the feel like temperatures reaching the triple digits, District Manager Rick Burger with Duke Energy is giving out some tips to help lower your electric bill while staying cool at home.
There can be several things people at home can do to help keep the inside of their home cool while the temperatures outside continue to rise.
Things like closing their curtains and blinds during the day can help keep the warm rays of the sun from heating your home during the hottest parts of the day. Having your ceiling fan spin counterclockwise will help the cooler air lower to the ground in the home.
Duke Energy also recommends washing your clothes in cool or cold water to help save money, as lowering the water temperature can help lower the energy use by half for that load of wash.
The big one that can help people save a lot on energy usage is turning the thermostat in your home up just a couple degrees. Many people have recommended turning the thermostat up to 78 degrees to save the most energy, but Burger has another suggestion if that is too warm for someone’s comfort at home.
“If you’re looking at between maybe 73 and 75, anything you can throw above that a degree or two at a time will save you money,” Burger said. “I think you can save three to five percent range, probably every time you bump that up.”
Something else he recommends people at home do is something that might not be thought about as much is keeping the outside units clear of any debris.
“You need to be sure that air is flowing around that unit,” Burger said. “So be sure the leaves are cleaned off of it and let that unit really breathe out there. I just saw before if you allow leaves to get up on it, and then it’s going to work that much harder, and it’s tougher on that compressor working.”
Duke Energy also has savings programs and incentives for people who may not be able to afford their energy bill at this time. To learn more about those programs and other ways to save money on your energy bill, just click here.
