Summer is here and so is the heat! As with everything else inflation related, the cost of electricity has risen several times, and there is no worse time to feel that pinch than in the summer. When the humidity creeps up and the temperatures rise, our first instinct is to turn down the thermostat, but that can get costly. Here are some suggestions to help keep your Locust Grove home comfortable while lowering or at least stabilizing your energy costs.
Use the ceiling fans
Does anyone else giggle when you read the information from the electric providers that state turning your thermostat up to seventy eight will help cut cost? Well, yes that is true, but as someone who works from home that is not always a realistic option. Could you imagine if the temperature in office buildings was that high? In the summer, you can turn up the thermostat a bit if you’ve also got ceiling fans. The air from your ceiling fans helps make it feel like a room is cooler than it really is. Turning these on along with turning up the thermostat a couple degrees can help keep you feeling cool inside your Locust Grove home. Make sure that the fan is rotating in a counterclockwise direction to push the air down.
Change the air filters
When was the last time you changed the air filters in your home? If it has been more than three months, it may be time to switch the old ones out for new ones. When air filters are filled with dust and dirt, it makes it harder for your air conditioner to pump cool air throughout your Locust Grove home.
Don’t add heat inside
Summer is for outdoor grilling! Switching from the oven to your outdoor grill keeps heat from building up in your home. Consider running other heat producing appliances like a clothes dryer (and dishwasher) in the evening or early morning when it is cooler. You can also go old fashioned and take advantage of the sun to dry your clothes…just not jeans. Sun dried jeans are always crunchy…speaking from experience.
Close the curtains and rooms
Closing the blinds and curtains is one way you can prevent heat from increasing in your home. Light color curtains and closed blinds will help to reflect the sunshine and keep it from heating up your Locust Grove home. If you have a particular window that is always blasted by the sun, you can even invest in one of these heat reducing curtains. Do you have a guest bedroom not currently in use? Save some energy by closing the vent and door to to room.
Unplug Appliances
Everything in life is about balance. If you eat a giant piece of birthday cake, then maybe the following day you chose to fuel your body with a lot of vegetables. The same concept can be applied to your energy consumption at your home in Locust Grove. If you are going use more electricity running the air conditioner, then look at other appliances that you aren’t using and unplug them. Toasters, blenders, desktops, and other small appliances all use energy even when not in use.
Lower your Water Heater Temperature
I love a warm shower in the winter. In the summer, I find myself turning the temperature to the cooler side even if I’m in an air conditioned house. By lowering the water heater’s temperature a few degrees, you can save some energy and cash.
Insulate the Garage Door
The garage lets in a lot of heat at our home and we’ve got a bedroom above it. By adding some insulation to the back of the garage door at our home in Locust Grove, we felt a noticeable change in the temperature in the garage and the rooms around it.
