As summertime in Michigan begins, we all naturally want to enjoy the beautiful weather outdoors. This season makes for the perfect time to save on your energy bills by heading outside!
Here are a few tips to stay cool, while lowering your energy bills:
- Fire up the outdoor grill! Using ovens and stoves can heat up your home by 30%, so opt for using an outdoor grill on hot days. Plus, if you’re in the market for a new grill, opt for natural gas. Cooking on a natural gas grill only costs one-sixth of the cost of cooking with charcoal and about one-third of propane, making natural gas the most cost-effective option.
- Optimize your AC: Make sure your air conditioner unit is shaded from direct sunlight. An outdoor unit operating in the shade uses up to 10% less electricity than the same unit operating in the sun. You can also have a HVAC professional clean and perform maintenance work to better its efficiency, or if you’re in the market for a new unit, you may qualify for one of our AC rebates.
- Head for the shade: On sunny days, close blinds and shades on the south and west-facing windows to block out heat and stay comfortable. You can also plant trees to provide additional, natural shade for your home. But don’t forget to plant the right trees in the right place to avoid any potential outage issues.
- Don’t underestimate ceiling fans. Run your ceiling fan to create a cool breeze. If you raise your thermostat by only two degrees and use your ceiling fan, you can lower your air conditioning costs by up to 14%. Remember, ceiling fans cool you, not the room. So, turn it off when you leave the room.
- Air leaks can be sneaky: Seal those leaks and insulate where needed for up to $200 in annual savings. You don’t want the hot outdoor air seeping into your home, nor do you want the cooled-down indoor air escaping to the outside. You can seal air leaks with inexpensive weather-stripping on doors and caulking around windows.
There’s plenty of more ways you can save energy this summer and all year-round. To learn more, visit dteenergy.com/saveenergy.
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