LCEC – Lee County Electric Cooperative

Tips for staying cool without heating up electric costs

Summer doesn’t technically start until the end of June, but it is already hot, hot, hot in sunny SWFL! As tempting as it is to crank down the air conditioner, LCEC reminds you to keep your thermostat at 83 degrees when you are away from your home for more than two hours and 78 degrees while you are home. Each degree below the recommended temperature of 78 degrees adds eight percent to cooling costs.
Southwest Florida’s steamy subtropical summers (and the many hot months outside of summer) cause the nation’s highest average annual air conditioning use. In fact, air conditioning accounts for approximately half of most average monthly utility bills! So what is the best way to combat this? Here are some additional tips for keeping you, your family, and your LCEC bill cool during this toasty time of year:

• Install a programmable thermostat to automatically raise and lower the temperature in your home at certain times of the day.
• Have your air conditioner serviced annually along with switching out air filters on a routine basis.
• Use a ceiling fan, but remember to switch it off when you leave the room. Ceiling fans are meant to cool your skin…not an entire room.

For more energy saving tips, visit www.lcec.net.