The dog days of the Mississippi summer are creeping up, as is the mercury on the thermostat. With triple digit heat indices, Entergy has announced numerous ways for Mississippians to save money and protect themselves from the heat this summer.
“Actual temperatures haven’t yet reached the 100 degree mark this year, but they have been in the 90s with high humidity,” said Robbin Jeter, Entergy Mississippi vice president of customer service. “Since heating and air conditioning make up more than half of your monthly energy bill, making a few small energy-efficient changes now will help your A/C run less, and keep more cash in your pocket.”
Top ways to save some cash on energy costs are:
⦁ Get your A/C inspected. Inspectors can make sure your system is leak-free and operating as efficiently as possible. Don’t forget about air filters; some units require monthly cleaning or replacing.
⦁ Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree lower than 78 can raise your bill as much as 3 percent. So if you crank down the A/C to a cooler 72 degrees, you’ve already increased your bill by 18 percent.
⦁ Buy a programmable thermostat. As energy usage rises, costs also rise. If you spend most of your day outside of the house, set your thermostat to automatically shut off or raise the A/C setting when you’re away.
⦁ Use fans to cool off, but remember – fans cool people, not rooms. Ceiling fans, box fans and oscillating fans use very little electricity and circulate the air, which helps you feel several degrees cooler. Just remember to turn them off when you leave the room.
⦁ Close blinds, shades and curtains to keep the sun out and the cool air in. Also, close air conditioning vents in rooms that are not in use.
⦁ Seal cracks and holes around doors, windows and duct work. Weather stripping and caulk will help keep the cold air inside the house and the hot air outdoors.
