Beat The Heat And Prevent A Shocking Energy Bill
By Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC
– LCEC Public Relations Director
When the heat of summer causes Southwest Florida residents to turn their air conditioners to cooler settings, electric bills begin to rise. In warmer temperatures, home cooling systems must work that much harder (using more energy) to maintain temperatures. Home cooling costs can account for around 50 percent of the residential electric bill. In fact, air conditioning is often the average household’s largest annual power cost.
LCEC suggests the following tips to help reduce summer bills.
• Keep your air conditioner set at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Every degree below adds eight percent more to cooling costs.
• Replace A/C filters once a month, and have the unit cleaned every year.
• Use ceiling fans to assist in the cooling process. Use wisely … don’t leave ceiling fans running in rooms where people are not present.
• The water heater is the second largest expense on your electric bill. Set between 120 and 140 degrees. Always unplug the water heater before adjusting the temperature.
• Turn the lights off when leaving a room and turn the TV off when not watching.
• Properly weather-strip your home to keep the heat out and the cool air in.
• Consider window tinting. Windows account for half of air conditioning bills. Keep window coverings closed during hot, sunny days, and open at night. Consider planting trees in the yard to shade the windows that receive the most heat. • Install a timer on the air conditioner so that it will control humidity when your home is vacant for long periods of time. Visit www.lcec.net for more energy tips and enroll in LCEC SmartHub to manage your energy usage year-round!
Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC is the Public Relations Director for LCEC. She has been on the LCEC team since 1997 and has been writing about energy safety, savings and utility cooperatives for decades.
LCEC served nearly 250,000 members in a six-county service territory and has been delivering electricity in Cape Coral since 1958.
Karen serves on the Board of Directors for United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades and the Edison & Ford Winter Estates and is a past member of the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce. She is also a past-president of the Florida Public Relations Association and the Edison Festival of Light and past chair of the American Heart Association Heartwalk and United Way campaign.
LCEC
P.O. Box 3455 N.
Ft. Myers, FL 33918
Website: https://www.lcec.net/Contact: 239-656-2300
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