Contact: Priscilla Knight, 703-392-1580, pknight@novec.com
NORTHERN VIRGINIA – June 21 is the first day of summer and NOVEC wants area residents to “cool it” by following ten energy-saving tips from the Co-op and the United States Department of Energy:
- Close window shades, drapes, and blinds on the sunny sides of the home during the day to block the sun.
- Set the air conditioner thermostat at 78 degrees when people are at home and higher when leaving. A programmable thermostat makes adjustments easy. Do not set the thermostat at a cooler than normal temperature when turning on the air conditioner. The home will not cool any faster and the lower setting could use more energy dollars. Run a ceiling fan or other fans with the air conditioner to feel cooler.
- Have a qualified heating and cooling technician check the central air conditioner unit annually. Change unit filters every month for peak efficiency.
- Turn down the water heater temperature to 120 degrees or the “warm” setting.
- Schedule heat-producing baking, cooking, and laundry chores during cooler morning and evening hours. Cook with a microwave oven or grill dinner outdoors.
- Use kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans just long enough to remove heat and steam.
- Replace standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. CFLs use 75 percent less energy than conventional incandescent bulbs and last much longer. Incandescent bulbs produce 90 percent heat and only 10 percent light. Turn off all unnecessary lights. Learn more about avoiding heat buildup in your home.
- Use natural ventilation. On cooler evenings when the humidity is tolerable, turn off the air conditioner and open windows. Run whole house, window, ceiling, or floor fans and a dehumidifier.
- Install attic fans to pull heat out of the attic and help cool living space below.
- Install low-emissivity (Low-E) glaze to existing windows to reflect heat.
