How Can I Save On Cooling Costs This Summer?
Question:As well as saving on the electric bill in general?
Answers:
Well the first thing you do in the morning if it's below 70f when
you get up, is to make sure you allow the cool air to go through your main living area, by opening all the windows
and doors. When it reaches 75f, close everything up before the humidity creeps in at around 80f. Close all the curtains,blinds, and drapes, to also keep the heat out
as much as possible. Pull blinds down to the window sill and
tighten them to not allow sun or light in. Turn on fans at
opposite ends of the house to make the air flow from one
end to the other, that includes stand up fans as well. If you
have central A/C set it on low before you leave
for work so that it will kick on later, during the hotter part of the
day and maybe won't come on much before you get home.
Turn off all fans and unplug them before you leave, in case
of shorts in the plug or wiring etc.to avoid the possibility of
an electrical fire from an undetected short in the outlet.
When you come home, turn on the fans again to circulate the air. And reset the A/C if it seems too warm, a little cooler. With the fans going it will keep the A/C
from kicking on as often. I found it best to have two fans
going in the living room across from each other and I can
keep the a/c setting on a lower setting, with a breeze blowing
from the fans. On hotter days I make sure I have the fans
going. On days like today at 90f, just the A/C on low was
enough.
Try not to open the fridge or freezer much, as each time
you open it, it takes awhile to register the same cooling
temp again. So the motor will kick on more til it stabilizes
the temp. using more electricity.
Try to do your washing if you have a W&D in the early morning. Making sure you have a full load rather than half a load. I had a repair man tell me it takes the same amount of electricity to do a half or full load.
Don't use your oven on really warm days. Use
your toaster oven or your microwave for easy to heat up
meals. Some you can make ahead on cool days for the
days ahead you expect to be hot, and don't want to be in
the kitchen. Prepare some cold foods that can chill during
the day while you are at work, and open and serve at the
dinner hour. Stuff some deviled eggs for protein, make a potato or macaroni salad. Or buy some cottage cheese to add tomatoes and other fresh vegies, or even fruit to, adding
some cold chicken, and maybe stuffed celery some night. Also make individual tossed salads for you and your significant other if you have one, and add bits of chicken and bacon bits (real bacon), for protein. You can also slice boiled eggs in with the meat to have a full meal. Adding some garlic bread on the side or some low carb crackers.
I hope I've given you some ideas that will help. I've lived in
some pretty hot climates where summer is known
to start in April. So I know what to do to hunker down and
live like a hermit til it's cool enough to step outside and do
what needs to be done out there. Even errand running.
Oh, yes, one more thing, make your iced tea early in the
morning and refill all your ice cube trays, for evening use.
You want to remove all heat sources before the morning
is late. And while you are at work, everything is chilling or
freezing as you want it to be.
Stay cool!
SWAMP COOLER. swamp cooler costs the amount of electricity as a light bulb to run, whereas Air conditioners are EXPENSIVE. you can buy the big ones on wheels so u dont need to have them hooked into your roof. go to home depot or lowes and check it out. good luck
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