10 ways to stay cool this summer

Simple things you can do to conserve energy and save money

Summer’s warm temperatures typically bring an increased demand for electricity, as people turn on fans and air conditioners to help keep cool. Coupled with rising costs for energy supply, this could mean higher electric bills for those who don’t plan ahead.

PSE&G is offering customers tips on some simple things they can do to stay cool, save energy and keep their electric bills under control.

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Turn off everything you’re not using; lights, TVs, computers, etc. Use dimmers, timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.
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Set a programmable thermostat to your daily and weekend schedule. Raising your thermostat from 73 to 78 degrees can save you as much as 15% in cooling costs during the summer.
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Close blinds, shades and draperies facing the sun to keep the sun’s heat out and help fans and air conditioners cool more efficiently.
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Check the weather-stripping and caulking around doors and windows. Eliminate air leaks between window air conditioners and windows with foam insulation or weather-stripping.
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Close doors leading to uncooled parts of your home. With central air, close off vents to unused rooms.
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Use fans to draw cooler air inside during the night and circulate air during the day. Ceiling fan blades should be rotating clockwise during the summer months. Even if you have air conditioning, ceiling and other fans provide additional cooling and better circulation so you can raise the thermostat and contain air conditioning costs.
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Delay heat-producing tasks such as washing and drying laundry or dishes until later in the day, and wait until load is full.
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Refrain from using nonessential appliances. Unplug or use only when necessary an extra refrigerator in your garage. A refrigerator in an uncooled space such as a garage uses more energy on hot summer days than it does during the winter.
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Replace your four most used 100-watt incandescent bulbs with four comparable 23-watt compact fluorescent bulbs. ENERGY STAR® -labeled compact fluorescents work well almost anywhere incandescent bulbs are in use, and can save you a significant amount of money over their lifetime.
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Plant shade trees close to the house on the south and west sides.