Defeat The Heat: A Guide to Summer Savings
When it’s summer in South Carolina, your first instinct may be to pump up your AC and tackle that humidity. Your HVAC system is running like crazy, which means it’s working even harder to get you that nice, cold air. The problem is all that energy usage is adding up – and so can your bill.
Santee Cooper gets that, and we’re here to help. Here are some tips and tricks to “Defeat The Heat” and save, while still staying cool:
- Avoid summer Peak Hours. In the summer, you can Defeat The Peak and Bank The Savings by avoiding Peak Hours from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (April through October). Use those energy-intensive appliances anytime during the 21 hours outside of the peak.
- Pre-cool your home. Pre-condition your home before 3 p.m. in the summer and then return the thermostat to your normal seasonal setting after Peak Hours. Bumping it down just two degrees at a time will keep your HVAC from running too hard.
- Set a water heater timer. Program your timer to heat water before or after Peak Hours and enjoy your pre-heated water anytime – saving money and reducing peak demand. Check out Santee Cooper Marketplace to receive discounts and/or instant rebates on energy-saving equipment, including water heater timers and other featured products. To install, find a licensed electrician to safely set up your water heater timer.
- Wash/dry laundry cold. Using colder wash and dry settings, instead of warm or hot, while doing laundry can save a significant amount of energy – especially when you have to run something within Peak Hours. A bonus to switching cold is it creates a lesser chance of shrinking clothes in the dryer! Another tip: Washing a full load of laundry is also more energy-efficient, as washers use the same amount of energy regardless of the amount of clothes in there. If you need to use these big appliances during Peak Hours, try staggering them so they’re not all running at the same time, which increases your peak demand.
- Delay the dishwasher. While it might not seem like it, your dishwasher uses a lot of energy and can increase your peak demand. It’s not the water, it’s the heat. The overall process of washing and drying dishes takes up a lot of energy. The solution; run the dishwasher before or after Peak Hours. Air dryer your dishes instead of using the heat dry setting.
- Get a smart thermostat. Using technology such as smart thermostats allows you to program your HVAC system to run less during Peak Hours. Additionally, it can adjust to save energy when you leave the house, and you can adjust it from your smartphone or other device when you’re on the go. You can find discounts and rebates for smart thermostats at Santee Cooper Marketplace.
- Spare your peak usage. Of course, sometimes you need to use a large appliance during Peak Hours. If so, be sparing with high-energy appliances by using one appliance at a time instead of using them all at the same time. Conserving energy during Peak Hours when you need to use something can still help prevent higher demand
Don’t just take it from us. One of our customers on Facebook, Scott S., commented:
"We have defeated the peak so far: $66 bill for April and $88 for May. I doubt I could get that anywhere in the country. Eat after 6, shut down major appliances down from 3-6.”
Learn more about the estimated costs of using your appliances during and outside of Peak Hours.
