Summer Savings Secrets

As the heat cranks up, everyone is looking for the big money-saving secret to keeping down utility costs. In many instances, it's not one big cost-cutting secret but rather many smaller ones. With a little time and planning, you can make these energy cutting secrets work for your family as the days continue to get warmer this summer in Oklahoma. 


Let your dishwasher do its job. 
Dishwashers were designed with convenience in mind, but rarely do we really think about them being energy efficient. How efficient? More efficient than you. It may come as a surprise that you end up using less water when you let your dishwasher wash the dishes than what you might use when you wash them by hand.  


Go big at the grocery store. 
While it might not seem like a cost-cutting measure at the time, the more your refrigerator is filled, the more efficient it is. Open spaces don't tend to hold in the cold like a load of groceries do when the door is open. If you have a lot of space in your freezer, something as simple as a few more ice trays can help keep your ice box cooler for less. In addition to that, you'll have all the ice you could ever need at a moment's notice. 


Don't be afraid of your microwave. 
Radiation aside, your microwave is a lean, mean, cooking machine; more so than your stove or oven. For foods that don't suffer from being microwaved, your microwave is one of the most efficient cooking devices in your kitchen. 


Kick it up a notch. 
There is no reason for you to be hot in your home, but in the summertime, there's definitely no reason for you to be cold when it comes to saving on your electric bill. By raising the temperature on your thermostat from the typical 72 degrees to the neighborhood of 78 degrees, you'll notice a decent amount of savings on your electric bill at the end of the month without a considerable change in temperature. Also, why pay for cold air you're not enjoying? When you leave the house, turn the thermostat to around 80 or 85 degrees. Keep ceiling and box fans running to circulate the cool air along with making sure all windows are firmly closed with a tight seal. The air conditioner will continue to keep the humidity down, but the raised temperature will also keep your electricity bill down as well. 


Choose efficient times of day to use heat-generating appliances. 
By using your dishwasher, stove, or dryer during the hottest parts of the day, you're making your air conditioner work overtime to keep your home cool. Whether it's the steam from the dishwasher, an open dryer door, or open oven door, using these appliances on the hottest part of the day is kicking your air conditioner while it's down. By waiting till the cool of night settles or getting a head start by performing these household duties early in the day, your air conditioner and electric bill will thank you. 


For more energy savings tips, check out the Consumer Energy Center. To ensure the health of your HVAC system all summer long and avoid a mid-summer air conditioner breakdown, have the AC experts at A Best Air give your system a seasonal checkout to make sure its running at its most efficient.