This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
CO - OP LIVI NG Beat the Heat ❚ Keep your home cool and energy bills lower with savings tips By Magen Howard, CCC


cold glass of lemonade. A shade tree near a rushing brook. A paper fan swished back and forth. The advent of air conditioning replaced these time-tested methods of staying cool during summertime temperature spikes. But with quick relief from stifl ing heat also came higher electric bills. Now, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that 9 percent of Americans’ household energy costs are dedicated to cooling. But you don’t have to sacrifi ce comfort and convenience to save on your bill. All it takes is smart planning, a little elbow grease, and dedication to beating the heat—and high bills.


A Seal Air Leaks


A home that feels cold and drafty in winter becomes hot and stuffy in sum- mer. Taking time to seal air-leakage points around your house will offer cooler temperatures and lower electric bills year-round.


Add caulk and weather stripping around doors and windows, and check where walls meet ceilings and fl oors. Look at items that might seem innocuous but usually leak, like recessed canister lights and outlets. Check air barriers that are working in conjunction with your insulation. Sealing up the cracks and joists in your attic will help your insulation do its job.


Seal Ductwork Ductwork could be the most important piece of equipment to seal. If it’s exposed, you can do this yourself with a paintbrush and mastic, which you can purchase at any home improvement store. If not, hire a professional HVAC contractor.


Leaky ductwork will make your air-conditioning system work a lot harder than it should have to, which drives up your electric bills and wears out HVAC equipment more quickly. “Ductwork is one of the fi rst places you should look if you’re trying to lower your energy costs,” stresses Sid Sperry, public relations director at the Okla- homa Association of Electric Cooperatives. “Sometimes, ducts aren’t even properly joined at all. That wastes a huge amount of energy. Sealing them up goes a long way to improving your home’s energy effi ciency.”


Landscaping


Regular maintenance for your air conditioner, including checking for a clean fi lter, will help it run more effi ciently.


Source: NRECA 6 OKLAHOMA LIVING


Planting a tree or climbing vine not only adds a little flavor to your home’s landscape; it also can cool down your house when the sun beats down. Trees in the right spot can decrease your home’s energy use by up to 25 percent, according DOE.


Plant deciduous trees—


those that lose their leaves every year—to the south and west of your home, and you’ll gain shade in the summer and sunshine in the winter. According to DOE, a 6-foot, 8-inch deciduous tree will begin providing shade the first year. And it only gets cooler after that, reach- ing your roof line in fi ve to 10 years.


If you want shade all the time or need to block wind, choose evergreens. But when


Strategically planted trees can help cut down on your cooling costs in the summer.


Source: Whirlpool Corporation


you’re preparing to choose your greenery, keep in mind that trees should never be planted underneath a power line. Call your electric cooperative to fi nd out how far from lines you should plant, and then check out ArborDay.org to learn about the types of trees that are best for your home’s landscape.


Air-Conditioning Units Logic would seem to dictate that a larger air-conditioning unit would keep your rooms cooler. In fact, the opposite is true. A unit that’s too large for the space will operate ineffi ciently and could even cause mold problems because of humidity. Whether you have a window unit or a central air-conditioning unit, correct sizing is key.


“A licensed professional should size your central air-conditioning system us-


ing a mathematical code—or, better, an automatic computer program,” Sperry cautions. “Units that are incorrectly sized will wear out faster and will not properly cool your home. Bigger isn’t always better.”


If you’re in the market for a new air conditioner, be sure to purchase one with an ENERGY STAR label, which means the product has met specifi c en- ergy effi ciency standards set by the federal government. Room units are about 10 percent more effi cient than their non-ENERGY STAR counterparts, while central units are about 14 percent more effi cient. Once you’ve determined whether your air conditioner is the correct size or have picked out a new one, start adjusting the settings to maximize effi ciency. Use the “auto” function instead of keeping the fan running all the time. Regu- lar maintenance to keep it in good working order is a good idea, as is checking and changing the air fi lter regularly.


Programmable Thermostats


Speaking of thermostats, a programmable model could help you save big bucks if it fi ts your lifestyle. A programmable thermostat will turn your tem- perature up automatically during times of the day you specify. But if you pur- chase one, it’s important to take the next step and program it—a step many people fail to take.


“A programmable thermostat is an excellent tool to improve your home’s en-


ergy effi ciency, but you have to actually program it, and then you have to leave it alone,” says Brian Sloboda, senior program manager for the Cooperative Research Network, an arm of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.


Photo couresty Karen Kal- ey/Cotton Electric Co-op


Continued on page 27


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152