It’s hot! NOVEC offers 10 energy- and cost-saving ways to stay cool

Contact: NOVEC Public Relations, 1-888-335-0500, communications@novec.com

MANASSAS, Va. -- It’s summer and it’s hot. Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative offers 10 energy- and cost-saving ways to stay cool and comfortable: 

1. Turn the thermostat up to 75-78 degrees. Each degree higher reduces electricity use and summer cooling bills. Run fans in occupied rooms to help room occupants feel cooler.   
2. Replace air-conditioner filters regularly. Follow manufacturers’ instructions. Write the installation date on the filter.
3. Use fans in lieu of air conditioning. If not running an air conditioner, run a whole-house or window fan upstairs with windows open on the main floor. Make sure a window fan pushes air outside instead of pulling hot air inside.  
4. Block solar heat by closing window treatments during the day on sunny sides of the house. Layering treatments, such as drapes closed over blinds, blocks even more heat. Window awnings do the best job since they repel solar rays before they reach windows.  
5. Close storm windows and lock windows. If need be, apply caulk and/or weatherstripping around windows and doors to keep hot air from infiltrating inside.
6. Replace incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs. Old-fashion incandescent light bulbs produce only 10 percent light, but a whopping 90 percent heat. LED bulbs produce almost no heat, use 80 percent less energy than incandescents, and last much longer. White LEDs come in natural tones and in traditional shapes for chandeliers, lamps, and flood lights.
7. Cook with a microwave oven instead of a regular oven; grill outdoors. Don’t create a hot kitchen.
8. Close a fireplace damper and glass doors. Hot air rises, but some hot outdoor air can come down and some cooled indoor air can go up through a chimney.
9. Look for the ENERGY STAR label when buying a window air conditioner. Save 6 percent by shopping during Virginia’s sales tax holiday Aug. 4-6. Look for a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) when purchasing a central air-conditioning unit. The higher the SEER, the less energy the A/C will use.
10. Lower the water-heater temperature. Set an electric water heater at 120 degrees; set a gas heater between “warm” and “hot.”

Learn more energy-saving ideas at www.novec.com/save.

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