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Community Corner

Summer Tips: Stay Cool at Home While Saving Money and Energy

Keep your home cool and comfortable during high temperatures while cutting costs with these tips.

Backyard barbeques, pool parties and summer vacations--there is a lot to celebrate during the summer months. But along with summer festivities comes summer heat.

The seven-day forecast for the San Marino area includes temperatures in the mid to upper 80s and low 90s, according to the National Weather Service.

While air conditioning creates a great refuge from the summer heat, here are ways to keep cool without seeing your energy bill skyrocket.

Find out what's happening in San Marinowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Go from cold to cool: By simply changing your air conditioner temperature from 72°F to 76°F you could reduce your energy bill by 15 percent. Take a minute to adjust the thermostat.
  • Weatherstrip! Leaks from window seals is a large cause of cool air leaking out of your home. Weather stripping and caulking can save up to 14 percent on cooling energy costs.
  • Stay in control of your climate: Install and use a programmable thermostat to keep your house at an optimal temperature. By properly using the setback capabilities, you can save up to $160 a year in energy costs.
  • Have good taste in temperatures: A fridge that is even 10o F too cold can use up to 15 percent more energy. Set your refrigerator temperature to 39o F and your freezer to 5o F.
  • Find fan-tastic savings! Stay cool and save more by using an energy efficient ceiling fan. Ceiling fans can save up to $200 per six-month cooling season. Also don’t forget to turn off those fans when leaving rooms for even more savings.
  • Get rebates! Rebates are available throughout the state for households that take the steps to improve their homes’ energy efficiency. Those interested in even more energy savings can find more information on home energy improvements and available rebates using Engage 360’s rebate-finding tool, Energy Upgrade California and Energy Star’s Home Improvement section.

 

Find out what's happening in San Marinowith free, real-time updates from Patch.



 

Jennifer Sokol is the SoCal community manager for Engage 360, California’s smart energy initiative encouraging communities across the state to come together and focus on energy efficiency.

To learn more, meet with Jennifer and Engage 360 at BloomfestLA on Saturday, July 23.

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