Summer’s here! Stay cool while saving some cool cash

Today is the first full day of summer. In Greater San Antonio, we’ve already seen temperatures in the upper 90s and a heat index in the triple digits! This can create a huge difference between the outside temperature and your home’s inside temperature.

For example, today we’re expected to hit 98 degrees in San Antonio. If you have your thermostat set at 74 degrees, that’s a 24-degree difference! This means your air conditioning system has to run longer to make up that difference, and that can lead to a higher energy bill.

But don’t sweat it. We have lots of great tips, programs and incentives to help you and your home stay cooler this summer. Here are some simple, FREE or low-cost ways to get you started.

Keeping the hot air out

Keeping the hot air out of your home is key to saving energy and staying cooler. Some simple things you can do are:

• Weatherize your home. Walk around and look for areas where gaps and cracks exist; seal smaller ones with caulk and larger ones with expanding foam spray. Add vinyl or rubber weather stripping around exterior doors. Put in a door sweep to block out hot air, or simply use a long sock filled with rice.
• Hang and close blackout (room darkening) curtains or heavy drapery on windows that get direct sunlight.
• Turn off TVs, computers and lights when they’re not being used or when you leave the room.

Making other simple retrofits

Through our SaveNow Program, you can request a FREE energy efficiency kit that includes LED light bulbs, WaterSense showerheads, kitchen and bath faucet aerators, and pipe wrap. If you’re not a do-it-yourselfer, request an in-person home energy assessment. An energy expert will install these energy-saving products for FREE and let you know about other ways to become more energy efficient.

Cooling more efficiently

Cooling accounts for the biggest part of your energy bill. To help save money, we recommend that you:

• Set your thermostat between 78 and 80 degrees when you’re at home, and at a higher temperature (try 85 degrees) when you’re away.
• Use ceiling or portable fans to circulate the air and make you feel cooler.

• Check your air filter and change it if it’s dirty. A good practice is to change it monthly.
• Install a programmable thermostat to manage your cooling needs.

Be sure to check out our My Thermostat Rewards program. You can get a FREE Smart Thermostat installed. This programmable thermostat allows you to control your home’s temperature anytime, anywhere, using a smart device such as your phone, computer or tablet. So after a day at work or returning from vacation, you can come home to a cool house.

Visit our website, cpsenergy.com, for additional ways to save energy this summer and keep more cash in your pocket.