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Summertime Tips

In the summer, set the thermostat at 78^o Fahrenheit or higher if health permits. Setting the thermostat at 72^o Fahrenheit could increase your cooling bill between 12 percent to 47 percent!

Turn the air conditioning off if you're leaving the house for several days.

Close all unnecessary openings when the air conditioning is running -- windows, doors and fireplace dampers. Don't try to cool the great outdoors as well as your house!

Close off unused rooms and partially close vents in those rooms to save on air conditioning costs. If you have central heat and air, however, never close off more than half the registers at one time. Equipment can be damaged by trying to force air through too many closed ducts.

Use weather-stripping and caulking around outside doors and windows to prevent the loss of cool air. Sealing leaks increases your comfort and saves you money. Air leakage may account for one-third to one-half of your winter heating and summer cooling costs.

Shade windows and glass as much as possible from the outside to avoid the heat of the sun. You can use trees or shrubs, louvers or awnings at your windows. Indoors you can draw draperies, blinds or shades to help keep the house cool.

Turn off your air conditioning and take advantages of natural cooling breezes whenever possible.

-- from Energy Excerpts

Inspect and maintain all heating and cooling systems. Periodic maintenance such as cleaning and replacement of filters can save up to 10 percent of your heating and cooling costs.

If possible, provide shading for the air-conditioning unit's compressor. This can be done with vegetation or some shading device, but make sure it allows for proper air circulation.

Clean your air filters, fresh air intakes, supply vents and return grills. dust and dirt cause your air conditioning equipment to work harder. That means higher electric bills.

Turn off lights that you don't need. It saves energy and cuts down on added heat during the summer -- that much less heat for your air conditioner to overcome!

Use ceiling fans or small fans to help circulate the air in summer. Moving air makes you feel cooler, so you can set the thermostat at a higher temperature and still feel comfortable.

Insulate your attic to prevent heat gain in summer. Adding attic insulation can save up to 30 percent of your heating and cooling costs, saving you money while increasing your comfort.

-- from Energy Excerpts

Proper attic ventilation is important year round. In hot weather, adequate ventilation keeps hot air from accumulating in the attic and causing more heat in the house below.

Outside plants: Plant low shrubs near south and west walls to shade your walls from the sun and help keep your house cool. Check with local nurseries for plants that are drought tolerant so you can reduce water consumption, and in areas of wild land fires, make sure you use shrubs that will not cause a fire to jump to your structure.

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Winter-time Tips

In the winter, set the thermostat between 66 to 68^o Fahrenheit if health permits. Wear a sweater and dress warmly inside rather than cranking up the heat.

Inspect and maintain all heating and cooling systems. Periodic maintenance such as cleaning and replacing filters can save up to 10 percent of your heating and cooling costs.

Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. An open damper on a four-foot square fireplace can let up to eight percent of your heat out the chimney. This will help you stay warm and save money, too.

Close off unused rooms and partially close vents in those rooms to save on heating costs. If you have central heat and air, however, never close off more than half the registers at one time. Equipment can be damaged by trying to force air through too many closed ducts.

Use weather-stripping and caulking around doors and windows to prevent heat loss. Sealing leaks increases your comfort and saves you money. Air leakage may account for one-third to one-half of your winter heating and summer cooling costs.

Insulate your attic to prevent heat loss in winter. Adding attic insulation can save up to 30 percent of your heating and cooling costs, saving you money while increasing your comfort.

Proper attic ventilation is important year round. In cold weather, adequate ventilation helps prevent moisture from condensing in insulation, structural timbers, shingles or on the roof.

Don't block registers, vents or heating units with furniture or drapes. That makes your furnace work harder and use more energy.

Open the drapes on sunny exposures during good weather to take advantage of solar heat. Close the drapes at night and during cloudy periods to keep the heat in.

-- from Energy Excerpts

Sources:

Home Energy Guide
California Energy Commission
1516 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
800-772-3300 (toll free in California)
916-654-5106

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