Welcome to summer in Florida! It’s sunny, it’s hot, and your home energy consumption is likely on the rise. That makes it the perfect time to consider some small steps you can take with little to no expense to trim back energy use.

Around the house...

Lighting: Fluorescent lights are ideal for use in place of incandescent lights that are used frequently (more than about 3 hours a day). But, whether you use fluorescent lights or not, remember to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.

Windows: Keep windows closed while using air conditioning. Also keep curtains closed during hours when the sun shines in those windows. If you have venetian blinds, adjust them to reflect the sun’s rays outward.

When you think a day is cool enough to consider opening windows to cool down the house, do so only when the outside humidity is less than 55% and the dew point is at 60 degrees or less. Otherwise, the house will absorb humidity from outside air, become uncomfortable, and defeat the purpose for opening the windows.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC): the largest electricity consumer in the house

Basic maintenance will go a long way to enhance the system’s efficiency and prolong the life of the HVAC unit. Clean filters monthly and replace when needed. A dirty filter restricts airflow causing the unit to loose efficiency. Throughout the house, it’s important to keep all air supply registers to all rooms open and the return air pathways free from obstructions (furniture). Also, doors should be kept open to any room that has a supply air register but no return air vent within the room.

Outside, it is wise to keep plants and other obstructions at least three feet away from the outside unit to prevent interference with air circulation.

Temperature settings play a significant role in a home’s energy consumption. For each degree you set the thermostat over 78 degrees, you will see up to a 4% savings per degree. With this thought

in mind, consider raising the thermostat a few degrees and using a ceiling fan during sleeping hours. Also, raising the thermostat by five degrees when away from home can

generate a savings. While you can adjust the settings manually,

you might also consider installing an electronic programmable thermostat to manage your temperature

setting throughout the day and night. Many of these are suitable for the do-it- yourselfer to easily install.

Fanning up more savings...

Fans: Bathroom exhaust fans play an important role in increasing the comfort of your home and should run for approximately 20 minutes to effectively remove excess humidity from the area. To operate most efficiently, if there is an

operational window in the bathroom, open the window slightly while the fan is running so that less cool conditioned air is pulled from the rest of the house. Do not run the fan longer than about 20 minutes and remember to close the window when you turn off the fan.

When cooking, kitchen exhaust fans should run for approximately 20 minutes to effectively remove the extra humidity added to the room.

Ceiling fans can help save energy when they are used in conjunction with raising the cooling temperature settings a few degrees. Ceiling fans, however, should only be in use when the room is occupied.

More ways to save

Computers: When not being actively used, turning off the computer is most economical, however; if the computer must be left on, turning off the monitor will cut the electric consumption in half.

Fireplace/Wood burning stove: Check to make sure the damper is closed and keep stove doors closed.