Summer Comfort Tips from OBEC

Cool your AC energy bill

Tips for getting the most from your cooling dollars

In Missouri, given our mild winter in 2012, air conditioning will likely be the single largest energy user of the year. The average home spends 17 percent of its energy bill on cooling. But that could reach as high as 60 percent as the temperatures climb.

Here are some tips on reducing your cooling costs this summer.

Use fans – One of the least expensive alternatives to running the air conditioner 24/7 is a fan. Fans will make you feel cooler by up to 8 degrees, depending on speed, humidity and other factors. According to energy consultant Michael Bluejay, a floor fan uses 100 watts at its highest speed. A ceiling fan uses 15 to 95 watts. Contrast that to a window air conditioner that uses 500 to 1,440 watts or a 2.5-ton central air conditioning system that uses 3,500 watts.

Replace old air-conditioning units with new – Yes, this costs upfront money. But there may be incentives available and new, more efficient models may save as much as 50 percent on cooling bills over your 15-year-old system, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Bump up the thermostat – Every degree raised uses about 4 percent less energy. Start at 78 degrees. You’ll discover your comfort level may be a higher temperature than you thought, particularly if you add fans to the cooling mix.

Turn down the AC when you’re away – It’s a myth that to keep the house cool, you have to keep your home air conditioning running full tilt while you’re at work. Turn up the temperature while you’re away, then adjust by a few degrees when you come home. A programmable thermostat can automate this process.

Shut off unused rooms – Don’t cool rooms you’re not using. If you have central air conditioning, close registers in those rooms. However, closing too many of them could affect the pressure in the system, so consult with an air-conditioning professional before you shut off lots of space.

Block the sun’s heat from entering windows – The windows of your house may be the biggest culprit in overheating the interior of your home. While all that summer sunlight reduces the need for interior lights, it brings heat with it.

So block the heat with drapes and blinds inside and awnings and overhangs outside. Seal leaks in old windows with caulking. Put solar screens on windows, which Bluejay says can block up to 70 percent of the heat from sunlight. They’re available at home improvement stores. Reflective films also can reflect heat away from windows by as much as 60 percent, per Bluejay. Finally, install storm windows and doors. Another pane of glass can cut what you lose through a single pane by 50 percent, says Bluejay.

Get rid of inefficient appliances – Inefficient appliances emit a lot of heat. Old refrigerators are prime suspects. Energy Star-rated refrigerators and other appliances may be as much as 50 percent more efficient than other models and quickly can make a difference on your utility bill.

Cut out wasteful energy uses – Replace incandescent bulbs — which emit more heat than light — with compact fluorescents. Air-dry dishes and laundry, and wash only full loads of each. Use a microwave oven or cook outside. Lower the thermostat on your water heater; 115 degrees is comfortable for most uses. Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes. Finally plug electronic equipment, such as energy-hog televisions, into a power strip, and turn it off when not in use.

A fan club for fans

Let’s hear it for fans! Here are some good reasons from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Savers and Michael Bluejay, energy consultant, to use fans to cool down this summer. Some tips for using them most effectively include:

Fans use a fraction of the electricity consumed by window or central air conditioners. Compare 100 watts for a floor fan or up to 95 watts for a ceiling fan to up to 1,440 watts for a window air conditioner and 3,500 for a 2.5-ton central unit.

Fans used consistently and effectively can reduce the need for air conditioning as much as 30 percent.

Fans can make you feel 3 to 8 degrees cooler by blowing hot air away from your body and cooling you down. That means you can raise the temperature setting for your air conditioner by several degrees and still feel comfortable.

To feel the breeze created by a fan, make sure the blades are pushing air down. Look for a switch on the side of the fan usually between the light and the blades. Counterclockwise usually blows air down and clockwise usually pulls air up.

Fans are cheap! For about $40, you can buy a ceiling fan, less for a floor model.

Install a whole-house or attic fan. When temperatures drop in the evening, open up windows and switch on the fan to pull cooling air through the house. Of course, when humidity rises, you may not want to pull that moisture-laden air inside.

Reducing summer cooling costs can start in the kitchen

There are many ways to save energy in the kitchen that require little extra effort. Most of these measures will also keep your kitchen cooler, and reduce the amount of moisture released into your home. These both reduce summer cooling costs.

Use cold water for cooking, even if you'll heat the water on the stove. Hot water that has been sitting in your water heater isn't considered wholesome for cooking by health experts.
Use lids on pots and pans when possible to speed cooking.
Use pressure cookers for foods that require long cooking times. This will usually reduce the cooking time by three-quarters.
Avoid using your full-size oven. Use a microwave for small meals or leftovers. If you have a gas range, check that the flame is mostly blue, with yellow only at the tips. Have a serviceman adjust them if needed. A properly adjusted flame is cleaner and more efficient.
Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator for a day or two before cooking. This is like putting a free block of ice in your refrigerator.
Check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer using an accurate thermometer. Adjust your refrigerator so it is no colder than 38-40 degrees. Adjust your freezer to 0-5 degrees.
If your refrigerator has an Energy-Saver switch, turn it to "off" or "save energy." This controls small electric heaters that warm the outside of the refrigerator to prevent condensation from forming around the door in humid climates. Unless you notice wetness or frost around the door, you don't need to use the feature.
Run your dishwasher only when it's full. Use the energy saving cycle to save electricity and hot water.
Finally, if your shopping for a new refrigerator or dishwasher, look for models that have an Energy Star label. These are the most efficient appliances made.

Source: John Krigger, Saturn Resource Management

Summer comfort: The human factor

You can help reduce your cooling bills if you understand how humans stay cool. Your body prefers to remain at a constant temperature of about 98 degrees, and it releases heat in three ways to do this.

The first way your body cools itself is by giving up heat to the air rising off your skin. This convection takes place when your body warms the surrounding air, causing the air to rise and allowing cooler air to move against your skin.

The second type of heat loss takes place when your warm skin looses heat to surrounding cooler objects such as walls and furniture. If these objects are relatively cool, this process of radiation allows your body to lose a lot of unwanted heat. If the objects are warm they will accept less of your heat.

The third type of heat loss is the evaporation that occurs when you sweat or douse yourself with water. If you create more body heat than you can lose through convection and radiation, you begin to sweat and evaporation takes place. If you then stand in front of a fan, your skin will cool rapidly. This is because water carries heat away as it evaporates from your skin.

Room fans and ceiling fans circulate air within an occupied room to increase convection and evaporation from your skin. These circulating fans can help you avoid the use of expensive air conditioning when the weather is only moderately hot. They also work well when used in conjunction with air conditioning by allowing you to set your cooling thermostat higher. Be sure to leave your windows closed when you run your air conditioner.

You can help heat radiate from your skin by installing energy conservation measures that keep your home's walls, ceiling, and floor cooler. Plant trees around your home, install awnings or window shades, install attic insulation, or apply a reflective coating on your roof to stop heat before it enters your home.

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