Dear Members,
Here are some simple tips for keeping cool and lowering your energy bills on hot summer days:
- Close blinds and drapes during daylight hours. If you can, shade your windows from the outside to keep the sun off the glass. This is the most effective way to block out heat. This simple step can lower the temperature indoors by up to 10 degrees.
- Keep your doors and windows closed when it’s hotter outside than inside to keep heat out. Open them at night or early in the morning. Use fans to pull through cool breezes.
- Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms. Turn off or unplug unnecessary electronics, too.
- Skip your dishwasher’s drying cycle. Air-dry dishes instead.
- Dry your laundry on a clothesline. If you must use a dryer, use the lowest heat setting.
- Cook more meals on a grill outdoors or in your microwave. Avoid using the oven, which adds heat to your home.
- Use fans to keep cool. Turn them off when you leave the room. Fans cool people, not spaces.
- If you have an air conditioner or heat pump, shade the outdoor unit. Make sure it has good airflow on all sides.
- Install awnings or plant deciduous trees to shade sun- facing windows.
- Check your air filters monthly. Clogged filters make your air conditioner or heat pump work harder.
- Thinking of adding air conditioning? Consider a heat pump for homes with ductwork or a ductless heating and cooling system for homes with zonal heat. Heat pumps and ductless systems provide energy-efficient summer air conditioning and affordable winter heating. For a limited time, Hood River Electric & Internet Co-op offers rebates on heat pumps and ductless systems. Contact Efficiency Services Group at 888-883-9879 or rebates@esgroupllc.com for more information about this program and the rebate qualifications.
We wish you a safe and enjoyable summer!
Libby Calnon
General Manager