The following is a press release from Xcel Energy:
As triple digit temperatures linger into the weekend across the region, Xcel Energy customers in Texas and New Mexico will depend heavily on air conditioning to beat the heat.
While electricity prices are lower than last summer thanks to a decrease in the cost of fuel used to generate electricity at area power plants, the increased use of air conditioning can add more cost than what customers may have budgeted. Xcel Energy offers tips to beat the heat and save money too at www.xcelenergy.com. By clicking “programs and rebates” and then following the “energy saving tips” link, customers can learn how to make their homes and businesses more efficient the year round.
Among the easy tips offered are:
- Using weather stripping to seal doors and windows so cool air can’t escape
- Raising the thermostat level into the 80s when no one is at home, and then gradually lowering it to around 78 degrees when the house is occupied
- Investing in a “smart” thermostat that allows customers to program and/or adjust thermostat settings from a mobile device
- Closing blinds and drapes during the heat of the day to block the heat from sunlight
- Using fans to circulate air throughout the home, even when the air conditioning is on
- Opening interior doors to allow cool air to circulate in the house. Or, if there is a part of the house not in use, closing it off to keep the cool air where it is desired
- Putting off cooking and clothes drying and other chores that create heat inside the home until past 7 p.m.
- Shading air conditioning units to boost their efficiency
(Press release from Xcel Energy)