summer tips Archives | Citizens Utility Board

Tips for fighting high summer electric bills, and staying safe and cool

Jim Chilsen — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 11:30:00 +0000

Check out our tips to stay cool, safe and energy efficient during the hot summer: Be safe. Efficiency means staying safe and cool while reducing your energy waste. Raising your thermostat by a few degrees and using a ceiling fan can lower air conditioning costs over the summer. Just be smart about it—don’t raise the temperature to an unsafe level. Many utilities have recommended setting the thermostat at about 75-78 degrees when you’re at home and awake. At night or when you’re away, bump it up a few degrees. Changing your thermostat by 7° to 10°F (up in the summer, down in the winter) from its normal setting for 8 hours a day can save you about 10 percent a year on heating and cooling, according to the Energy Department. Again, never take any risks with your health. Efficiency is about staying safe and cool. Use fans. Fans alone aren’t adequate in a heat wave, but they can be used with an air conditioner—so you don’t have to blast the AC. Run a ceiling fan counter-clockwise, from your position looking up at it, to create a downdraft, and make sure to turn off your fan when you leave the room. (Fans cool people, not rooms.) Give your AC a break. Prevent hot air from seeping in by sealing the gaps around windows and doors. (Check out sealing/insulation tips from Energy Star.) Shut blinds or shades during the daytime hours to prevent the sun from cooking your home and your air conditioner from working harder to cool it. At cooler times of the day (night and morning) or on milder, less humid days, open up windows and use screens to let refreshing air come in. Clean or replace your air conditioning unit filters about once every 1-2 months during the cooling season to make sure your AC is running efficiently. If you have central air, schedule your yearly check up with the HVAC technician. (Here’s an AC maintenance guide from the Department of Energy.) Make sure your AC is sized properly for the space to be cooled. Contrary to popular belief, a larger unit will not cool a room better. A properly-sized AC unit will be more efficient, and it will keep the space at a constant temperature and a comfortable humidity level. Shut it down. Even when electronic devices are powered off, many are still using electricity if they are plugged in. This is called vampire power or phantom load, which can account for 25 percent of a product’s electric usage on average. Turn off and unplug extra appliances that produce more heat and make your home hotter (TV, computers, laptops, lights), and make sure to unplug your phone charger. Leaving your smartphone plugged in to a charger overnight not only wastes electricity, but it also strains the batteries over time. Turn off lights in empty rooms. Use a smart power strip. For computers and entertainment systems a smart power strip can be helpful. These strips help you cut down energy costs associated with products that go into standby mode. Avoid hot tasks. Delay heat-producing tasks, such as dishwashing, baking, or […]

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Beat the Heat with Summer Safety Tips

Elizabeth — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 21:13:24 +0000

The best energy efficiency is energy efficiency practiced safely. Temperature Safety: Don’t keep your home too hot or too cold to save money– never set the thermostat at a temperature that threatens your health. Efficiency is all about safety and comfort. Set your thermostat from 76 to 78 degrees for a safe and efficient temperature. Turn the AC off when you leave home unless you have pets or people in your care who need to stay cool. If you don’t have a cool place to stay, visit a cooling center or public space for a break. Special centers are available in state facilities across Illinois to help consumers stay safe in the summer or winter. Find warming and cooling centers near you. Many of those are open during business hours and Tollway Oasis locations are open 24 hours a day. Also, don’t be afraid to ask a family member or friend if you need refuge from the heat or cold. Stay Cool Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Sip about four to eight glasses of fluids a day. Avoid too much alcohol or caffeine, which promotes dehydration. Add a fan to your summer defenses. Set your thermostat at a smart temperature, and then use a fan to help circulate the cool air. Run it counter-clockwise, from your position looking up at it. Remember fans cool people not rooms, so turn them off when no one’s around. Need a bit more help to stay cool? Use a spray bottle filled with cool water to apply a refreshing mist on your face. Soak your feet in cool water. Place ice cubes, wrapped in a wet fabric, on your “pulse points,” where the blood vessels are close to the skin: wrists, neck, the insides of your elbows, the tops of your feet and the inside of the ankles. Take a cold shower or bath as well. Close your curtains or blinds to keep the heat of the sun out. Try to keep the rooms you use most (i.e. the TV room) the coolest. Symptoms of Heat Stroke: Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temps and not enough hydration. Heatstroke is more serious and occurs when the body starts to lose its ability to regulate itself. The signs of a heat stroke are: An extremely high body temperature, such as 103 degrees or above Dizziness and nausea Throbbing headache Rapid and strong pulse If you notice these symptoms in another person, the Mayo Clinic says to call 911 or your local emergency number and then move the person out of the heat and try to cool them immediately (sponge the person with cool water; fan the person and spray them with a cool mist; cold shower, etc.). Outlet Safety: If an appliance frequently trips your electric circuit breaker, disconnect it immediately and have the outlet evaluated by a qualified electrician. Older wiring in buildings may not be able to handle the electrical demand of modern appliances and may cause electrical fires if not maintained. Extension Cords: Keep portable appliances on extension […]

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Summer tips on staying cool and safe, without breaking the bank

Jim Chilsen — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 13:19:11 +0000

Summer weather is upon us. Heating and cooling costs account for 50 percent of a home’s energy bills, according to the Department of Energy. Stay safe, cool and energy efficient. Be safe. Raising your thermostat by a few degrees and using a ceiling fan can lower air conditioning costs over the summer. Just be smart about it—don’t raise the temperature to an unsafe level. Many utilities (ComEd, Ameren and MidAmerican) recommend setting it at about 76-78 degrees when you’re at home. Read our recent blog on setting the thermostat, and check out this Energy Star guide. Schedule HVAC maintenance. Regularly schedule an appointment with an expert to check your equipment’s performance. An HVAC technician can tell if it’s time to replace your old cooling unit with a new energy-efficient model. (Newer ENERGY STAR units will result in at least a 15 percent gain in efficiency. There are more great tips on this page of the Energy Star website.) Give your AC a break. Prevent hot air from seeping in by sealing the gaps around windows and doors. Shut blinds or shades during the daytime hours to prevent the sun from cooking your home and your air conditioner from working harder to cool it. At cooler times of the day (night and morning) or on milder, less humid days, open up windows and use screens to let the refreshing air come in. Clean filters. Clean your air conditioning unit’s filter at least once every three months. It’s an easy way to improve the unit’s performance and to save energy. For more tips on maintaining your air conditioner, check out this Energy Department page. Use fans. Fans alone aren’t adequate in a heat wave, but they can be used with an air conditioner—so you don’t have to blast the AC. Run a ceiling fan counter-clockwise, from your position looking up at it, to create a downdraft, and make sure to turn off your fan when you leave the room. (Fans cool people, not rooms.) Avoid hot tasks. Delay heat-producing tasks, such as dishwashing, baking, or laundry, until the cooler night or early morning hours. Consider grilling out to keep the kitchen from overheating and your AC from over-working. If grilling isn’t for you, make meals in the microwave. Shut it off. Turn off and unplug extra appliances that produce more heat and make your home hotter (TV, computers, laptops, lights), and make sure to unplug your phone charger. Open windows. If it gets cool in the evening hours, consider opening windows and using screens to let the breeze in. Seal up the house again in the morning. Drink plenty of water. Sip about four to eight glasses of fluids a day, but avoid too much alcohol or caffeine, which promotes dehydration. Take the edge off. During intense heat, make sure to find an air-conditioned space, and take simple actions to get through your hottest moments. For temporary relief, use a spray bottle filled with cool water to apply a refreshing mist on your face. Soak your feet in cool water. Place ice cubes, wrapped in a wet fabric, on your “pulse points,” where the blood vessels are close to the skin: wrists, neck, […]

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