WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES JUNE 14, 2018 15
AT HOME
Easy and breezy: 6 tips for
controlling summer cooling costs
As Americans gear up for sun,
surf, barbecues and all the
other fun activities that represent
summer, they're also concerned
with how to keep themselves and their
homes comfortably cool this season.
Of course, they're also concerned
with controlling costs. The average
homeowner spends nearly half of their
yearly utility bills - an average of $900
- on heating and cooling, according to
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
Fortunately, we can all take steps
to save energy and protect our environment,
while still maintaining comfortable
temperatures this summer.
Think about which of the following
tips might help in your home.
Brilliant breezes:. Ceiling fans
create a breeze eff ect that makes air
seem cooler than it really is, allowing
you to set your thermostat slightly
higher without discomfort. On hotter
days, raising the thermostat by only
two degrees and using a ceiling fan
can reduce air conditioning costs by
up to 14 percent. Remember - ceiling
fans cool you, not the room, so be sure
to turn it off when you leave the room!
Get with the program: Tune up your
heating and cooling system annually
and change fi lters every three months.
A dirty filter can increase energy
costs and damage your equipment. If
your home has uneven temperatures
between rooms, consider adding insulation
to your attic. That can help you
maintain a more comfortable, even
temperature in your home and reduce
energy bills.
It's curtains for you: When you're
away from home or simply don't
need full sunlight, use double- or
triple-layered heavy curtains backed
with insulated material to keep the
sun from unnecessarily heating your
rooms, especially those with windows
facing west. You can always switch
them out for lighter-weight versions
to take better advantage of sunlight
when winter comes.
Thoughts on your thermostat: Optimize
your heating and air conditioning
use by installing a Wi-Fi enabled
ENERGY STAR certifi ed smart thermostat.
They're independently certifi ed
to deliver reliable performance and
energy savings, and let you use your
computer or smartphone to remotely
adjust your home's temperature on
demand, schedule automatic temperature
changes based on your lifestyle
and receive important feedback on
energy use.
Become a microwave master: You can
use up to 80 percent less energy when
you cook via microwave oven instead of
traditional oven or stove, and because
a microwave generates less heat, your
home stays cooler so you can also save
on air conditioning. Ultimately, switching
to microwave cooking for just one
meal daily could prevent up to 922
pounds of greenhouse gases per year.
Air-dry clothes: Clothes dryers are
the largest energy user in the laundry
room. That makes indoor or outdoor
air drying an excellent alternative.
Switching to a clothesline or series
of drying racks for just three months
of the year could conserve up to 408
pounds of greenhouse gases annually.
Summertime doesn't have to mean
astronomical air conditioning bills,
and when you avoid cranking down
your thermostat in hot weather, you
also do your part to protect the environment.
For more information on
making energy-effi cient choices this
summer, visit EnergyStar.gov.
Courtesy BPT