7 Easy Ways to Conserve Energy and Save Money This Summer

1. Take advantage of Rocky Mountain Power's Summer Tiered Rate
2. Use ceiling fans and circulating fans
3. Operate your thermostat efficiently
4. Use an Evaporate Cooling System instead of central air conditioning
5. Improve the efficiency of your windows
6. Avoid heat build up
7. Home Energy Audit Through Thermwise or a do-it-yourself checklist

Other Tips to Help you Save Energy and Money Year-Round!

1. Turn off your lights the smart way
2. Operate computers, other electrics using power saving techniques
3. Lower your water usage and heating cost
4. Save big using these tips for doing your laundry

Take advantage of Rocky Mountain Power’s “Summer Tiered Rate”
It’s simple: The less energy you use from May 1, to September 30, the less you will be charged per kilowatt-hour. (kWh).  For example, your next door neighbor who runs their A/C all day, leaves the plasma TV  on non-stop, and never remembers to turn off the lights may be using over 1,000 kWh of power a month. That neighbor will now pay 11.1 cents per kWh (for each kWh over 1,000 per month).  On the other hand, if you use energy-saving ceiling fans, evaporative cooling, ENERGY STAR appliances, and CFL light bulbs, you will likely use much less electricity.  As a reward for your energy efficiency and conservation accomplishments, you will only pay 7.5 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity up to 400 kWh, and 8.9 cents for the next 600 kWh's (up to 1,000 kWh per month).
Click here for more information on the Summer Tiered Rates

(Note: Rocky Mountain Power's tiered rates recently changed to encourage greater energy conservation and efficiency.  Click here to learn about the recent change.)

Use Ceiling Fans and Circulating Fans
A fan can keep you feeling comfortable in hot weather without blasting the air conditioner. Ceiling fans are considered the most effective fan, since they effectively circulate the air in a room to create a draft throughout the room.

If you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort. Install a fan in each room that needs to be cooled during hot weather.
Click here to find rebates for fans, lighting fixtures and more energy efficient appliances.

Operate Your Thermostat Efficiently
You can dramatically save on cooling bills by keeping your house warmer than normal when you are away, and lowering the thermostat setting to 78°F (26°C) only when you are at home and need cooling. Although thermostats can be adjusted manually, programmable thermostats will avoid any discomfort by returning temperatures to normal as you wake or return home.

A common misconception associated with thermostats is that a furnace works harder than normal to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back, resulting in little or no savings. This misconception has been dispelled by years of research and numerous studies.

Use Evaporative coolers instead of central air conditioning
Evaporative coolers (sometimes called "swamp" coolers) are devices that cool air through the simple evaporation of water. Evaporative cooling is perfectly suited for Utah's hot, arid summers. Not only will installing an evaporative cooling cost about one-half as much to install as central air conditioners, but the units use about 75 percent less electricity as air conditioning does while offering equally high-quality cooling for your home or office.
Rebates of up to $1,000 are available for evaporative coolers and efficient air conditioning - click here for more information.

Improve the Efficiency of Your Windows
Some simple caulk and weatherstripping can help you reduce air leakage around your windows, and window coverings can help keep your home cool in the summer (and warm in the winter).
Most experts agree that caulking and weatherstripping—two simple air sealing techniques—will pay for themselves in energy savings within one year.
Click here to find rebates for window upgrades

Avoid Heat Buildup
To avoid heat buildup in your home, plan ahead by landscaping your lot to shade your house.
Don't let the heat in
On hot days, whenever outdoor temperatures are higher than the temperature inside your house, close tightly all the windows and exterior doors. Also install window shades or other window treatments and close the shades. Shades will help block out not only direct sunlight, but also radiated heat from the outdoors, and insulated shades will reduce the conduction of heat into your home through your windows.

Avoid Heat from Cooking
Cooking can be a major source of heat within a home. On hot days, avoid using the oven; cook on the stove top, or better yet, use only a microwave oven. Outdoor grilling is a great way to avoid cooking indoors.

Other Heat Generating Activities to Avoid
Bathing, washing laundry, and other activities can also pump heat into your home. When you shower or take a bath, use the spot ventilation of a bathroom fan to remove the heat and humidity from your home. Your laundry room might also benefit from spot ventilation.

Home Energy Audit
For $25, a Questar Gas technician will visit your home, conduct an energy audit, and provide you with a detailed report on how to make your home more energy efficient. A water-heater blanket, pipe insulation, low-flow shower head, and/or faucet aerators will be provided if your audit indicates a need for them and if you are willing to install them. Follow through on recommendations associated to a rebate, and the $25 audit charge will be credited back to your  gas account. In the end you get a free audit and you're on your way to saving energy and money.

Schedule an appointment for a $25 in-home energy audit.

• Call Questar Gas at 800-695-7375 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday - Friday or
• E-mail In-HomeAudit@ThermWise.com. Please provide your name, address and daytime telephone number.

Or, you can do-it-yourself by using Utah Clean Energy's Home Energy Audit checklist.  Go through the checklist to upgrade your home for the most cost-effective and energy efficient appliances, windows, electronics and more!

Tips to Save Energy and Money Year-Round

Turn off your lights efficiently
The cost effectiveness of when to turn off lights depends on the type of lights and the price of electricity.

Incandescent lights (or bulbs) should be turned off whenever they are not needed.

Fluorescent Lighting - The cost effectiveness of turning fluorescent lights off to conserve energy is a bit more complicated. For most areas of the United States, a general rule-of-thumb for when to turn off a fluorescent light is if you leave a room for more than 15 minutes, it is probably more cost effective to turn the light off.

Operate your computer and peripherals—such as monitors, printers, and other accessories—efficiently.
When to Turn Off Personal Computers
Though there is a small surge in energy when a computer starts up, this small amount of energy is still less than the energy used when a computer is running for long periods of time. For energy savings and convenience, consider turning off :

• the monitor if you aren't going to use your PC for more than 20 minutes
• both the CPU and monitor if you're not going to use your PC for more than 2 hours.

Make sure your monitors, printers, and other accessories are on a power strip/surge protector. When this equipment is not in use for extended periods, turn off the switch on the power strip to prevent them from drawing power even when shut off. If you don't use a power strip, unplug extra equipment when it's not in use.

Power-Down or Sleep Mode Features
Many PCs available today come with a power-down or sleep mode feature for the CPU and monitor. ENERGY STAR® computers power down to a sleep mode that uses around 70% less electricity than a computer without power management features.
Note: Screen savers are not energy savers. Using a screen saver may in fact use more energy than not using one, and the power-down feature may not work if you have a screen saver activated.

Use and Heat Your Water Efficiently
Turn down the temperature of your water heater. You can reduce your water heating costs by simply lowering the thermostat setting on your water heater. For each 10ºF reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3%–5% in energy costs.

You can also:

• Reduce Your  Water Use
• Fix Leaks
• Install Low-Flow Fixtures
• Install efficient shower heads

Tips for Doing Laundry Efficiently
There are two ways to reduce the amount of energy used for washing clothes—use less water and use cooler water. Unless you're dealing with oily stains, the warm or cold water setting on your machine will generally do a good job of cleaning your clothes. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a load's energy use in half.
Laundry Tips

• Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible.
• Wash and dry full loads. If you are washing a small load, use the appropriate water-level setting.
• Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.
• Don't over-dry your clothes. If your machine has a moisture sensor, use it.
• Clean the lint filter in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation.
• Use the cool-down cycle to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.
• Periodically inspect your dryer vent to ensure it is not blocked. This will save energy and may prevent a fire. Manufacturers recommend using rigid venting material, not plastic vents that may collapse and cause blockages.
• Consider air-drying clothes on clothes lines or drying racks. Air-drying is recommended by clothing manufacturers for some fabrics.