Southern Utah Homeowners Can Save Big On Energy Costs

It's starting to get hot here in Southern Utah. Are you ready?

Energy experts say the best temperature to keep your thermostat this summer is 78 degrees.

The Department of Energy recommends keeping a home warmer than usual when you're out of the house to avoid unnecessary energy costs, and utility companies across the U.S. are recommending 78 degrees Fahrenheit as the ideal temperature.

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Most houses with dual-incomes end up empty for a good portion -- the warmest portion -- of the day.

"It seems really silly to spend all that money and all that energy on a house that is empty," said energy expert Jeff Patterson. "It's so easy. Just bump it slightly as you leave the house, then bump it back when you get home."

According to Constellation.com, tweaking your thermostat so the air conditioner isn't running all day in an empty house, "can reduce your annual expenses by as much as 10 percent."

That’s a potential savings of as much as one percent for each degree.

"We're not saying to make the house hot all day, but maybe push it up to 78 or 80 when the house is empty," Patterson said. "With modern air conditioners, it only takes a few minutes to get the temp back down when you get home if you prefer to have it at 72 or 70 in the evening."

However, it's worth noting that trying to cool your home faster by setting your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner does not work.

Energy.gov says this strategy does not, in fact, cool a home any faster and ultimately can lower the temperature too much and create an unnecessary expense.

The DOE also recommends vacuuming the dust out of your vents, and weather stripping your house to keep the cool air from leaking out.

A couple of other energy (money) saving techniques from Constellation.com:

• Cook with the microwave
• Open your windows at night
• Use your ceiling fan when you’re in the room
• Activate the “sleep” feature on your computer, scanner, fax, and printer.
• Use your bathroom fan when showering (draws the heat and humidity up)
• Line-dry your clothing when possible
• Run your dishwasher only when full
• Take short showers instead of baths.

Done altogether, you can significantly cut down on your power consumption, regardless of how hot it is outside.

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