When the temperatures rise in Florida during the summer, your energy consumption does, too. Throw in stay-at-home orders, homeschooling and working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic, homeowners and renters are likely to see bills this summer higher than the usual seasonal spikes they’re used to. We’ve put together a quick list to possibly help you save $50-$100 each month!
Energy-saving tips
- Grill outdoors to keep the heat out of the kitchen and your home.
- Use ceiling fans and set them to rotate counterclockwise. Fans allow users to set AC thermostats higher and reduce energy use. But remember: Fans cool people, not the room, so turn them off when leaving the room.
- Keep blinds, curtains and shades closed during the hottest part of the day, and consider installing reflective film, especially on windows facing south and west. This keeps some of the heat out and keeps the AC from running constantly.
- Set the thermostat to a comfortable level. We recommends 78 degrees when you’re home and 80 degrees while away.
- Have your air conditioning system serviced and change the air filter each month or according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Date the filter or set a reminder to help keep track of when it’s time for a new one.
- Make sure registers are unblocked and well-sealed from leaks where they meet the floors, walls and ceilings. And give them a good dusting to help improve airflow.
- Install attic insulation rated R-30 and seal attic leaks. This will reduce high home cooling costs.
- Identify energy vampires and set electronics to automatically switch to sleep mode or manually turn off computers and TVs when not in use. A power strip makes switching them off easy.
- Unplug phones or other electronic devices once fully charged. Many chargers use energy even when they aren’t connected to a device.
- Replace old lightbulbs with energy-saving LEDs. And turn off lights when not in use.
Do as many of these things as you can and you will definitely see a difference on your next monthly bill!
