With heat advisories in effect for parts of Louisiana amid the hot summer months, energy companies are sharing some tips to help their customers reduce their energy consumption.
Cooling
- Set thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, if possible. Cleco recommends a smart thermostat because it will automatically adjust the temperature according to the scheduled temperature settings.
- Use a fan to help a room feel 10 degrees cooler but remember that fans cool people, not rooms. So, turn off fans when not in a room.
- Don't run heat-producing appliances during the hottest part of the day.
- Close drapes or shades during the day to keep out the heat.
- Change your air filter. A dirty filter slows down air flow and makes the system work harder to keep homes and businesses cool, wasting energy.
- Seal leaks around homes and businesses with caulking or weather stripping to keep the cool air in.
Appliances & Electronics
- Run full loads in dishwashers and washing machines to conserve water and energy.
- Unplug electronics such as toasters, cell phone chargers, game consoles and printers when not being used. These devices consume electricity even if they are turned off because they are still plugged in.
Lighting
- Turn off lights when not in use.
- Change traditional incandescent bulbs to LEDs which use about 75 percent less energy and emit less heat than traditional bulbs.
"It is normal to see an increase in energy usage during the summer months and especially when temperatures remain high for consecutive days," said Jaci Sewell, Cleco's manager of energy efficiency. "These tips are easy to implement and can make a difference in how much energy you use and how much you save."
Entergy shared the following tips to reduce energy bills:
- Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree lower than 78 can raise your bill as much as 3 percent. If you crank down the A/C to a cooler 72 degrees, you’ve already increased your bill by 18 percent.
- Buy a programmable thermostat. As energy use rises, costs also rise.
- Use fans to cool off, but remember – fans cool people, not rooms. Ceiling fans, box fans and oscillating fans use very little electricity to circulate the air, which helps you feel several degrees cooler. To save more energy, be sure to turn them off when you leave the room.
- Close blinds, shades and curtains to keep the sun out and the cool air in. Also, close air conditioning vents in rooms that are not in use.
- Seal cracks and holes around doors, windows and ductwork. Weather stripping and caulk will help keep the cold air in and the hot air out.
- Make sure air coming into your home is clean and healthy. Air filters on some air conditioning units require monthly cleaning or replacement. You can also get your A/C inspected to make sure your system is leak-free and operating as efficiently as possible.
- Visit the myAdvisor tool on com to view when you use the most energy. The usage and cost tool can compare your usage history by month, day, and hour.
- Access com/savemoney for energy-saving tips and calculators that will help you determine the best cost-cutting scenarios to suit your needs.
Practicing these tips can help you save energy and money, which is especially important for customers who are struggling to pay their energy bills due to COVID-19. We have developed several resources to help customers experiencing financial hardship.
Residential customers can find information about bill-payment assistance programs by visiting entergy.com/mypaymentoptions to find a plan that best fits their individual needs.
If you’re concerned about your energy usage, the Companies’ energy efficiency programs can help. They offer free in-home energy assessments and rebates to help reduce the up-front cost of installing energy-efficient equipment, such as high-efficiency HVAC tune-ups, insulation, air sealing and duct sealing. You also can purchase energy efficiency products and upgrades through the respective online marketplaces. Entergy Louisiana customers can visit Entergy Solutions – An Entergy Louisiana program at EntergySolutionsLA.com and Entergy New Orleans customers can visit Energy Smart – A New Orleans Program at EnergySmartNOLA.info.
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