Save on Cooling Costs This Summer 

The City of Ocala Utility Services understands your need to reduce energy costs and is ready to help with programs like: Air Conditioning and Attic Insulation Rebates or a Free On-Line Energy Audit of your home where you can learn ways of using energy more wisely and stretch your kilowatts further!  No time to conduct an audit?  Then try the Energy Calculator to estimate annual energy usage of appliances or answer your energy questions at the Energy Library.  Just click on Residential Information – Home Energy Saver to learn what Energy Depot can do for you.

With Summer months just around the corner, here are some energy saving tips to help with Summer Air Conditioning costs and more ...

• When cooling your home, set the thermostat at 80 degrees.  Each degree below 80 degrees will cost you eight percent more on your cooling costs.
• Replace or clean air filters once a month or sooner if dirty.  Dirty filters cause the unit to run longer, decreasing efficiency and increasing costs.
• Caulk and weatherstrip around windows, doors, pipes or anywhere else where air can leak out.   You want your home to be as air tight as possible to minimize the loss of conditioned air.
• Add or upgrade your attic insulation.  OEU recommends a minimum of R-19 to R30.  The higher the R-Value the greater the insulating power, and the greater your potential energy savings! Be sure and ask about OEU Attic Re-Insulation  Rebate Program.
• Once a year, inspect your air conditioning system’s ducts and seal any leaks.  Leaky ducts decrease the efficiency of the system and increase costs.
• During the summer, close blinds and drapes during the day to prevent the sun’s rays from warming your home.
• Use ceiling fans to assist your cooling system, but only use fans in occupied rooms. By using fans with your air conditioning system, you can set your thermostat two to four degrees warmer without sacrificing any comfort, and save about eight percent per degree on your electric bill.
• To maximize your system’s efficiency, hire a professional air conditioning contractor to inspect and perform preventive maintenance on your air conditioning system once a year.  This should include a check of the thermostat settings, tightening of all electrical connection, motor current and voltage tests, lubrication of all moving parts, inspection of condensation drain, cleaning of evaporator and condenser coils, testing of refrigerant levels, and cleaning and adjustment of blower components.
• Now that the fireplace has been put to rest until next winter, remember to close the flu damper and prevent air conditioning from escaping up the chimney.
• Keep the fan on your central heating unit on “auto” position.  Leaving the fan on the “on” position can add $25 a month to your heating costs.
• Make sure the central cooling system registers and returns are not blocked by furniture or drapes.  The air conditioning system operates best with free-flowing air through it.
• Make sure your thermostat is accurate.  An inaccurate thermostat can cause your cooling system to run more than it should, costing you a lot in energy dollars.   
• When leaving home, turn off the air conditioning or set the thermostat up a few degrees.  For each degree you bump it up, you’re saving approximately eight percent on cooling costs.
• Keep windows and doors closed when the air conditioning is on!
• Don’t close off more than 10% of the unused rooms in your home.  Your central cooling system works best with free airflow throughout the home.
• Consider purchasing a Programmable Thermostat...  Programmable Thermostats save money by reducing the amount of time your air conditioning equipments runs while the house is not occupied.

If your air conditioning equipment is older and less efficient, compensate by being extra careful about temperature settings, hours of operation and filter condition.

 Water Heating:

• Water heating is the second largest energy expense in your home. Reduce the temperature settings on your electric water heater to 120 degrees or lower if you don’t use a dishwasher or if your dishwasher has a preheating element.  For safety make sure the breaker is turned off before opening the panel on the water heater.
• Water heating is the second largest energy expense in your home. Have a timer installed that can automatically turn the hot water heater off at night and on in the morning.  Set the timer for no more than 2 hours a day; 1 hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.
• Showers account for nearly 40 percent of the hot water used in a typical home.  You can achieve a significant savings in hot water use by installing low-flow showerheads and faucets.
• Consider using only cold temperatures for clothes washing – most detergents these days work just fine without hot water.  If you must wash a small load, be sure to use the appropriate water-level setting.
• For maximum efficiency, clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load, and periodically inspect the dryer vent to ensure it is not blocked.
• For maximum dishwasher savings always wash a full load of dishes, but be careful not to overload the machine.  Don’t rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher; scrape them instead.  Instead of using the dry cycle; open the door and let your dishes air dry. 

Lighting:

• Always turn off the lights in any room that is not occupied, even it it’s just for a few minutes.  It’s a myth that you use more energy turning lights on and off, than leaving them on.
• Use compact fluorescent bulbs where lights are on the most.   CFLs use 75% less energy and will last ten times as long.

 Refrigeration:

• For maximum cooling and efficiency set your refrigerator temperatures between 37 and 40 degrees and freezer temperatures at five degrees.  Deep freezers should be kept at zero.
• To minimize cold air loss, only open refrigerators and freezer doors after you have decided what to take out.