Summer Energy Saving Tips (2024)
Posted on July 3, 2024 by Cassie Allen
Tags, Oregon Utilities 101, Energy, General Interest
Summer is almost here, but with warmer weather can come higher cooling costs, whether you rent or own your home. How can you stay cool while saving energy?
Cooling without Air Conditioning
Air conditioning units can be expensive, both to run and to purchase. If you don’t have access to air conditioning, you still have options to keep cool and stay safe.
Open Windows Strategically
Letting in outside air is a great way to passively cool your home, if you open your windows at the right time. Try to only open windows when the outside temperature is cooler than the inside temperature.
During the evening, night, and early morning, open your windows to let in cooler air. During the daytime, keep your windows closed.
Cover your windows
When the sun is hitting your windows, close blinds and drapes to block incoming heat. As sunlight hits the inside of your home, it heats it up. The closer the covering is to your window’s glass, the more effective it will be.
Insulated drapes, blackout curtains, and honeycomb style blinds are particularly energy efficient. Window coverings are especially effective if you have inefficient single-pane windows.
Use Fans
Fans allow you to keep cool while using less energy than air conditioning systems. Ceiling fans use 5 percent of the energy of a window air conditioner unit. Box fans are more affordable than A/C units.
During the day, while your windows are closed, use fans directly on your body. Fans don’t actually cool down the air. But having a breeze can help your body cool faster, making you more comfortable.
From evening to early morning, add a box fan to your open window. Box fans can help move the cooler air inside more quickly. This is most effective if you can leave the windows open with the fans in overnight.
For those in the Portland area, check out Community Energy Project’s DIY Cooling Workshop. Qualified participants will receive free cooling supplies.
Small Unit/Portable Air Conditioning
For many people, particularly renters, portable air conditioning is the only option. In 2022, many organizations and local governments plan to help. For those in Portland, check out the Heat Relief Program from Earth Advantage. Read our recent blog, Cooling Resources for Oregonians, for more information about renters’ rights for A/C and how to qualify for free cooling units!
Choose the Right Unit for Your Space
When purchasing an air conditioning unit, make sure that you are sizing it correctly. Your room size, amount of sunlight, and other factors impact what is best for your cooling. If you buy an A/C unit that is too big, you’ll use too much energy. Buy too small, though, and you won’t stay as cool.
Energy Star is a helpful resource for sizing your cooling and finding an energy-efficient option.
Only Cool Used Rooms
If you use room air conditioners, only turn them on in rooms you’re actively using. When the unit is on, close the door to the room you’re in. This helps cool the room faster and uses less energy.
Consider also closing the doors to rooms that you are not using. This will help keep the heat from those rooms trapped and the used space cooler. (Please note that this advice does not apply to whole-house air conditioning.)
See the bottom of this article for maintenance tips.
Whole House Air Conditioning
Many households enjoy air conditioning throughout their homes. While these systems are generally more efficient overall, they can cost more than smaller units. Whether you already have central air or you’re looking to install it, here are some energy tips to consider.
Consider Switching to a Heat Pump
Heat pumps are high-efficiency heating and cooling systems. These systems work by taking the heat from the air around them and moving (pumping) it inside or outside. In the summer, the heat pump takes the warmer air inside and moves it outside, keeping you cool. During the winter, it does the opposite to warm your home.
Heat pumps are growing in popularity because of how efficient they are. A traditional electric furnace is usually around 95 percent efficient. A heat pump is around 300 percent efficient. This helps you save money on your heating and cooling year-round. Find out more about switching with Energy Trust.
Keep Your Interior Doors Open
When your air conditioning is turned on, keep doors between rooms open as much as possible. Particularly with ducted air conditioning, airflow is key to efficiency. When doors are closed, your system has to work harder to move air and uses more energy. (Please note that this advice does not apply to portable A/C units.)
Use Your Thermostat Efficiently
Avoid setting your air conditioner’s thermostat at a colder setting than necessary when first turning it on. Air conditioners remove heat from the home at a constant rate. Initially setting your air conditioner at a colder-than-necessary temperature does not cool your home any faster. And if you forget to turn the temperature down, you end up using more energy.
Try to set your thermostat to 78 degrees during the day when you’re at home. Increase the temperature by 5-7 degrees at night and when you’re away from home. Using a smart thermostat can help make scheduling energy use easy. See if you qualify for a discount with Energy Trust.
Maintain Air Conditioning Units
Conduct regular maintenance on your air-conditioning system to ensure that it runs more efficiently. Ask your service technician to check and clean the heating coil in your air conditioning unit. Remember to replace your air filter at the start of each cooling season and check it monthly after that.
Have a great summer and keep cool using these energy efficiency tips!
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07/03/24 | 0 Comments | Summer Energy Saving Tips (2024)