When dangerous heat arrives, a focus on keeping cool and safe is important while also taking care to not overwork your air conditioning system to maintain the temperature on the thermostat. Reducing wasteful and unnecessary energy use where you can, is the way to make it through a heat wave and weather energy bill spikes as best you can.
Quick Tip: Why Summer Electric Bills Are Higher?
Most CWLP customers have the highest electric use of the year during the summer months as air conditioners work to keep up with the hot weather to maintain the temperature set on your thermostat. Over the winter months, most CWLP customers use gas heating over electric heat pump systems in the winter months which tends to shift more energy costs to the gas supplier bill they pay. Seasonally, spring and fall when temperatures are mild customers see the lowest bills of the year for electric charges.
Essentially, the higher the outdoor temperatures, the harder your air conditioner works to maintain the temperature on your thermostat. The three largest categories of energy use in a typical home from highest to lowest are air conditioning; space heating and water heating.
How To Stay Safe & Save During Heat Waves
• Use fans wisely. Turn your thermostat up a few degrees and use ceiling or box fans in occupied rooms. They use less energy than AC—but don’t leave them running in empty rooms! Turn ceiling fans counterclockwise to push cool air down.
• Check air filters. Dirty HVAC filters reduce airflow and raise energy use. Clean or replace them regularly.
• Close your blinds, shades, or curtains. Close these to block sunlight during the hottest part of the day – especially for east- or west-facing windows. Check to make sure windows are all the way closed and locked.
• Seal gaps in your windows or exterior doors. Caulk around the frames to seal gaps. Add weatherstripping inside door frames. Attach a door seal to the bottom of the door.
• Adjust your air conditioning with a smart thermostat. Raising your thermostat by as little as 3-5 degrees can have an impact on your energy usage. Smart thermostats can be adjusted anywhere you have access to the internet. Using a programmable thermostat can be set to automatically raise the temperature when you're away from home or sleeping
• Use appliances wisely. Save laundry, cooking, and vacuuming for cooler evening hours to reduce indoor heat and AC use. Ovens release heat that makes it harder to keep your home cool. When it’s hot, try cooking with appliances that use less energy, like a microwave or air fryer or switch to grilling outside. Only run full loads of laundry and dishwasher. Skip the dryer and hang clothes to dry.
• Lower water heater temperature. Drop your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit from default 140 degrees. This provides sufficient hot water and can save you 6% to 10%.
• Shorten showers. Take shorter showers that use a lot of hot water. Your electric water heater is the third largest energy user in most households.
• Limit exhaust fan use. Only run kitchen and bathroom fans when needed—these fans pull out your cooled air and make the a/c work harder.
• Swap bulbs. LED bulbs use less energy, give off less heat, and last much longer than old incandescent bulbs.
• Unplug devices. Turn off and unplug electronics when not in use. Many of these types of appliances continue to draw some electricity even when they are turned off.
• Dress the part. Wear light breathable clothing.
• Use sleep settings. Set your computer and other electronic devices to sleep after 10–15 minutes of inactivity.
CWLP customers can also schedule a Home Energy Audit or call for general assistance or tips. Contact CWLP Energy Services at 217-789-2070 or visit their office online at
Save Energy–Save Water.
