Join thousands of citizens throughout the nation who will celebrate Earth Day on April 22 by making a commitment to energy conservation. Cutting energy usage and costs doesn’t have to involve buying a new appliance or technology. You can save money every month by simply adopting a few new habits.

·         Set your thermostat at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Every degree cooler increases cooling costs by eight percent.

·         Clean or replace filters in your air conditioner once a month, and have the unit cleaned yearly.

·         Check the accuracy of your thermostat with a precise thermometer. An improperly calibrated thermostat can cause you to use more electricity without knowing it.

·         Turn off ceiling fans, lights and electronics when no one is in the room. Ceiling fans work by making you feel cooler as it blows on you. But they don’t actually change the temperature of your home or give your a/c a boost.

·         Your water heater is the second largest expense on your electric bill. To save money, set its temperature to 120 degrees.

·         Run your dishwasher with a full load. With a full load’s worth of dishes, this is actually more energy efficient than hand washing. Do full loads of laundry as well.

·         Give the oven a break. Especially in the summertime when your a/c is already working overtime to cool your home, preheating the oven adds even more heat into the air. If possible, use a microwave instead, which is much more energy efficient.

·         Teach children to conserve. Instilling good habits can pay off.

·         Windows account for half of air conditioning bills: consider applying tinting to them.

·         Keep the drapes closed during hot, sunny days, and open them at night.

·         Consider planting trees in your yard to shade the windows that receive the most heat. Ensure trees are planted away from power lines.

·         LCEC customers can call for a FREE energy survey of your home including many conservation tips from our expert energy advisors.