The weather is starting to heat up. But no sweat! These low-cost, quick-to-implement tips will help keep your home comfortable while saving energy.
Natural air conditioning
Here in Colorado, the air cools to the 50s or 60s at night. Use this natural air conditioning to your advantage. Leave the windows open at night, or open windows and doors first thing in the morning to bring cool air in and move stale, warm air out.
Once the house has cooled, close everything up. If you have curtains or blinds, keep them closed - especially on windows facing the sun.
Best practices with a cooling system
Temperature setting
Set your thermostat higher on hot days so the cooling system doesn’t have to work as hard. Thermostat temperatures should also be set higher (78 degrees and up) when you’re not home or at night when sleeping. This can save around 10% on energy use.
Adjusting your thermostat is easy in the “smart” age. Smart thermostats have become very affordable, especially with our $50 rebate on a qualified purchase.
Maintain
Neglecting regular tune-ups for an air conditioning system can lead to underperformance. That means more energy use and less cool air.
- Throughout the warmer months, remove any dirt, leaves or debris around your outside unit.
- Routinely change your filter. A simple filter replacement costs about $10 and can lower your air conditioner’s energy use by 15%.
Prepare for warmer temperatures
Drafty doors and windows can allow warm air into your home, making your air conditioning system work overtime to keep the temperature down. For around $20, you can purchase weather stripping and caulk to seal any gaps. According to the Department of Energy, sealing leaks around doors and windows can save up to 20% on heating and cooling.
Consider upgrading your insulation
Insulating is the first step to an efficient home, and customers will notice an almost immediate impact on their energy bill after making the upgrade. Our rebate will credit 40% of total installation costs (up to $3,750, depending on which areas you insulate) for electric or natural gas customers to future utility bills. For each area you upgrade, eligible customers can be credited to $1,250 for attic insulation, $1,250 for wall insulation and $1,250 for crawl space insulation.
View full rules and information here and visit My Account to apply for this rebate.
