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Insights > Keep your cool and save your money for school supplies!
Keep your cool and save your money for school supplies!
08/09/2017
Paula Odom, senior customer service specialist for Entergy Texas, gives money-saving tips.
While back-to-school time usually means the end of summer, Mother Nature has the final say-so as to when the excessive summer heat will end. It’s never too late to take control of your cooling costs!
Paula Odom, senior customer service specialist for Entergy Texas, recently was featured on the Extension Hour program on Lone Star Community Radio and gave these tips:
- Check your air conditioner yearly to make sure it is running efficiently.
- Change your filters monthly – pick a date that’s easy to remember like the first of the month.
- Your air conditioning/heating usage is 55 percent of your bill in the summer and winter.
- Set your thermostat at 78 degrees in the summer and 68 in the winter.
- Close all drapes – especially those facing the west sun. Do the opposite in the winter
- Use ceiling fans or other fans to help cool your space. You can raise your thermostat by using fans and still feel as cool.
- Your electric water heater is 20 percent of your bill, so added with your air conditioner, it is 75 percent of your bill
- If your water seems very hot, you can turn it down to medium setting to save energy, say around 120 degrees. That is fine for dishwashers and washing machines. Wash with cold water when possible.
- Use toaster ovens or crock pots in the summer to prevent heating up your house with your stove top and oven.
- Lights do not use a lot of electricity, but it all adds up. If you have a multiple light fixture like in the bathroom, in a ceiling fan or over a table, use lower wattage bulbs to save energy.
For more information on how to save money and keep your cool this summer, visit http://www.entergy-texas.com/your_home/save_money/.
Kacee Kirschvink
Manager, Entergy Arkansas Communications
