How To Stay Cool And Save Money During This Heat Wave

With temperatures over or near the triple digit mark this week, your energy bill doesn't have to go up as well.  We all know that extreme heat is a health concern for many, but there are ways to balance your health as well as your energy consumption.

The goal whenever the heat gets to this level is to be comfortable, be as economical as possible, and protect your electrical equipment.  To that end, our friends at Franklin PUD compiled a list of things you can do to accomplish those goals.

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Set Your Thermostat At Your Highest Comfortable Setting.

The trick is to get the smallest difference between the temperature outside and temperature inside.  It's not as easy as it sounds, especially on a 100+ degree day.  The closer you can keep those numbers, the lower your bill will be.  If you're turning your AC for the first time, don't start it too low as you'll burn more bucks while not cooling your house any faster.

Don't Use Certain Appliances During The Heat Of The Day

Appliances like the ones pictured above give off heat.  Using them will increase the temperature inside your home, making your AC work harder and costing you more money while using more energy.

Use Fans To Create Your Own “Wind Chill”.

Ceiling fans, floor fans, fans on a stand, whatever kind you have in your home to circulate air around the house will help keeping you cooler for longer.  That will keep your AC off for longer stretching savings on consumption and cash.  It allows you to keep a slightly higher temperature in the house thanks to that "wind chill".  Always remember to turn the fan(s) off whenever you leave a room.

Close Blinds & Curtains When It The Hottest Time Of Day

Nothing says heat like the sun coming through a window in the middle of the day.  Keep your blinds and curtains closed during the day and if you really don't like the heat, look into blackout curtains that let little to no sun through.

Cook Smart

Using your outdoor grill, the microwave, or even an air fryer will help keep the house cooler and use less energy than the oven or stove top.

Turn Them Off or Turn Them Down

These should be turned off or down when you aren't using them:

• Lights
• Electronics
• Appliances
• Water Heater (turning this down to 120 degrees can save a few bucks)

Check Your Filters

Making sure your AC filter is clean will go a long way in saving money and keep the house cooler as air flow won't be as restricted.  Checking your filer in the spring will make sure you're prepped and ready for summer heat.

Check Your Weather Stripping

If you can see light or feel a breeze there is a good chance your weather stripping needs to be replaced.  If you feel warm air coming in then cold air is escaping and we all know what that means.  Weather stripping is pretty easy to fix/replace and even easier to find at your local home improvement store or online.

Extreme Heat Can Cause Power Outages

Franklin PUD recommends having a plan in case of a heat caused power outage.  Make sure you have a cool place to go and make sure family, friends, and neighbors that are vulnerable to the heat are also in a good spot.  Make sure you call the outage line for whoever your power supplier is (Franklin or Benton PUD, City of Richland, or Benton REA) and report it.