Tips to Help You Save Electricity This Summer

Summer is just around the corner and we are already starting to feel the scorching heat of the sun. Students are also already in the homestretch when it comes to complying with their school requirements and are raring to go on vacation.

While summer is a time for vacations and family bonding, it is also a time when we experience a spike in our electric bills. With the children at home, most appliances — the television, the radio, the electric fans, the lights — are on full use. And with the scorching heat outside, those who do not go to cooler places or the beach and opt to stay at home would usually have the air-conditioners on full blast and the refrigerators filled with iced water, ice and other summer coolers.

The use of cooling appliances such as electric fans and ACs have now become a necessity lest we suffer from heatstroke. The need to use these appliances, however, does not mean that we can no longer save on electricity.

You can still do something to avoid a ballooning electricity bill during the summer months. Here are some tips from the Visayan Electric Company (VECO):

1.Unplug appliances that are not being used. There is such a thing called phantom load, which is any device that still consumes electricity even when it is turned off but is plugged into an outlet. These devices waste energy and contribute to your electric bill. So when the kids are done playing with their favorite Playstation or Wii game, make sure to turn the gadget, as well as the television off and unplug these. Same goes for electric fans that are no longer being used.

2.Turn off lights that are not needed. During daytime, minimize or avoid the use of lights inside the house to save on electricity. Open curtains or use light colored drapes to let natural light come inside rooms.

3.Check your air-conditioning unit. When using air-conditioners, make sure that you are using the right AC for the room size. An AC with a low horsepower (hp) in a big room, will have to work double time to make the room cool; Set the thermostat to an ideal level. The lesser the difference between the outdoor temperature from the indoor temperature, the lower the energy consumed by the AC. It is also best to use your AC’s timer.

4.Use your electric fans wisely. When using electric fans, make sure that the appliance is properly maintained and cleaned. Place the electric fan near a door or window for proper air circulation and to improve the fan’s cooling effect. Lock the oscillator when the fan is needed in one direction only. This way, air is blown directly to where it is needed.

5.Use your refrigerator correctly. Place your refrigerator in the coolest side of the room. The best location is usually is usually in the northern part of the area, away from the morning and afternoon sun. Regularly defrost your refrigerator. Frost acts as an insulating blanket, causing the motor to work overtime. Remove store wrappings from foods before putting them in the refrigerator. Paper and similar materials can act as insulators.

Follow these tips and for sure your VECO bill for the summer months will not give you a headache.