With the temperature continuing to rise as the calendar flips over to the summer months, many in the Southwest Virginia area may be looking to keep themselves cool while saving some money.
According to Ashley Workman, a spokesperson from Appalachian Power, one of the best ways to save money is to know which appliances you are using and when you are using them.
“Avoid using heat-producing appliances like ovens or dryers during the hottest parts of the day,” Workman said. “You can set your air conditioner or thermostat to a higher temperature so that it doesn’t have to work as hard to decrease some of your energy usage.”
Keeping the shades and curtains drawn is another way to keep the house cool while not having to rely on the AC.
However, for those who do want to use air conditioning, overusing the thermostat can burn a lot of energy, which, in turn, can lead to a higher energy bill.
“If you keep your thermostat on at 70 degrees year-round, it would have to work harder when it’s the summer months,” Workman said. “So the harder your thermostat works the more energy you’re using.”
Keeping your thermostat at a higher temperature than normal, however, could keep the energy bill lower when the time comes.
“One thing that you can do is turn your thermostat up a few degrees when you’re away, then change it to a more comfortable temperature when you’re back inside,” Workman said. We’ve actually found that setting your thermostat just five degrees higher can save you about 20% in cooling costs.”
Workman also said that she doesn’t believe that AEP will be facing any significant power outages, but that crews are currently on standby just in case.
