The heatwave we had the last couple of weeks has broken, but its effects may linger. Greenville Utilities is letting customers know that those scorching temperatures from May, and those expected this summer, could mean higher-than-normal utility bills.
“Air conditioners are typically the most expensive appliances you can run in the summer heat,” said Jonathan Sergeant, Energy Services Officer. “The hotter it gets outside, the harder your A/C has to work to keep it cool inside. Even in the most energy-efficient homes, really hot weather like we’ve been having, means your A/C has to run a lot and that means higher-than-normal bills.”
To help customers reduce their bills, GUC has several tips:
- Set your thermostat on the highest comfortable setting. GUC recommends 78 degrees or higher. Remember, every degree above 78 will save you about 5% in cooling costs. Every degree below 78 will cost about 5% extra.
- If you’re not going to be home for an extended period, raise your thermostat to 85-88 degrees.
- Clean or change your filters monthly to keep your system running at peak performance.
- Use a ceiling fan or portable fan to supplement your A/C. Fans are less expensive to run than A/C and can make you feel three to four degrees cooler. When using a fan, you can set your thermostat a few degrees higher and save on cooling costs.
- Remember to turn off your fans when you leave the room. Fans cool people, not rooms.
- Switch your central air conditioning to "auto" for better cooling and humidity control versus keeping the system switched "on" continuously.
For more energy conservation tips, please go to guc.com/ways-save or call Energy Services at 252-551-1521.