Summer energy costs increase, but some tips can help keep bills
low and houses cool
Prices at the pump aren’t the only energy costs local residents
need to worry about this summer. The increasing cost of gas and
electricity is likely to bring up the cost of cooling down local
homes this summer.
Summer energy costs increase, but some tips can help keep bills low and houses cool
Prices at the pump aren’t the only energy costs local residents need to worry about this summer. The increasing cost of gas and electricity is likely to bring up the cost of cooling down local homes this summer.
“There’s little question but that we’re probably in for a period of high – and rising – fuel prices,” said Jennifer Amann, a senior associate at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, D.C. “So every investment you make in efficiency is also a hedge against the uncertainty in energy prices.”
While gas costs – which are generally used more in the winter for heating homes – fluctuate based on market demand, electricity prices remain the same from season to season.
The California Public Utilities Commission sets the per-unit price for electricity. The CPUC sets varying energy allowances for households, depending on such factors as the climate in a region or the season. As residents go over the energy allowance in their zone, they are charged a higher rate for additional usage.
During the summer months, electricity use sees a leap as the weather warms up.
“Electricity usage does tend to go up in summer months – particularly on hot days,” said Jeff Smith, a spokesperson for Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation. “With daylight savings, the use of lights goes down during the summer period, but the air conditioner would be the primary reason it goes up.”
One key tip Smith offered to keep electricity costs down is to install a programmable thermostat for residents who don’t already have one in their homes.
“They can set it so that the air conditioner does not turn on until its hits 78 degrees when they are home and 85 degrees when they are not home,” Smith said. “Of course, that is with health permitting. Some people need to have a home cooler for health reasons.”
Keeping shades drawn and curtains shut during the day also helps to keep the sun from heating the inside of homes, taking it longer to cool down in the evenings.
The tips for increasing energy efficiency – and lowering energy bills – are many. PG&E and Energy Star, a government-backed program to increase energy efficiency, both offer interactive web sites to help people find ways to lower their use of energy. Products that lower energy use by at least 10 percent often bear the Energy Star label.
The Energy Star site aims “to get people thinking and talking about energy-efficient products, energy-efficient services and ways to save energy in the home,” said Denise A. Durrett, a spokesperson for the program.
The Web site features a two-story model of a home. Visitors to the site can click on different items in the household for tips on saving energy. A click on a window brings up a box that explains that sealing windows properly keeps air-conditioned or heated air in. Some other simpler and inexpensive tips include changing light bulbs to Energy Star-approved light bulbs, keeping air ducts clear and free of dust, and changing filters on air conditioners at least every three months.
For those who are in the market to replace outdated and less energy-efficient appliances, both Web sites offer information on how Energy Star products can save money. PG&E often offers rebates to customers who purchase appliances – from dishwashers to clothes washers – with the Energy Star logo.
“A significant percentage of our customers do monitor what is being offered and take advantage of it,” Smith said. “The energy star label is something that, in California, consumers are aware of and look to as an incentive in what kind of products they purchase.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
For more information:
– Visit PG&E at www.pge.com and look for the energy resource link. Offers a personalized analysis of how your home can be more energy efficient, plus information on how your bill compares to others in your region.
– Visit Energy Star at www.energystar.gov/home for tips on how to make your entire home energy efficient.
