1.0Citizens Utility Boardhttps://www.citizensutilityboard.orgrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="HDFmyITfqm"><a href="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/06/21/tips-for-fighting-high-summer-bills-2/">Tips for fighting high summer electric bills, and staying safe and cool</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/06/21/tips-for-fighting-high-summer-bills-2/embed/#?secret=HDFmyITfqm" width="600" height="338" title="“Tips for fighting high summer electric bills, and staying safe and cool” — Citizens Utility Board" data-secret="HDFmyITfqm" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! 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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 […]https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/20150722_sun_blog.jpg800800