SAHBA Home Hints
June 1, 2008
Save Money during Summer, Monitor Energy Use
Desert dwellers live through 100-degree temperatures and higher during summer months. But homeowners can still find comfort inside while curbing higher summer utility bills.
Electricity use increases when air conditioning, evaporative coolers or heat pumps are on. Regulating use and routine maintenance can make all the difference to a homeowner's pocketbook.
“Generally, increasing the temperature on your thermostat by five degrees will result in a 5% savings,” said Romi Carrell Wittman, Communications Services Director at Trico Electric Cooperative.
Programmable thermostats allow homeowners to manage energy use. Regulation is a great way to save on cooling costs that generally rise when a thermostat is left below 75 degrees.
Unit settings should be adjusted when a home is empty. Afternoons are peak energy consumption times and if no one or pets are in the home, energy may be wasted. Increase the temperature by five degrees when leaving during the day and 10 degrees when on vacation.
But before homeowners think about escaping the heat, routine maintenance should be preformed. Unit maintenance done before the start of the season helps a unit run at full efficiency. Replace a swamp unit's cooling pads each year and make sure water flows over the entire pad. A well-maintained unit won't have to work harder to perform its task.
No matter how cutting-edge cooling units are, lack of insulation or seals will allow cool air to escape. State-of-the-art windows lend a big hand in controlling a home's temperature. If replacement windows are out of the homeowner's price range, good weatherstripping can help lower cooling costs.
Tinting windows, especially those facing west, can keep the sun from warming the inside. An alternative to tinting is using shutters, blinds or drapes. During the winter, leaving these open will help warm the home, but homeowners will want to keep them drawn during the summer, said Wittman, a SAHBA member.
Don't forget the little helpers. Using fans circulates air and makes a home feel cooler. Another small fix is switching to Compact Florescent Lights (CFLs). Similar to sun through a window, appliances and electronics warm the inside of a house.
“CFLs don't put out the amount of heat a traditional bulb does,” said Wittman.
Details: www.trico.coop.
SAHBA represents about 750 member businesses and 40,000 jobs serving the residential construction industry in Pima and Cochise counties.
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