Many Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) members are surprised to see their electric bills soar along side the temperature in the hottest months of the year. When sweltering heat arrives, it can be tempting to crank up the air conditioning to stay cool, but MTE says there are other steps your household can take to survive the summer while conserving energy and saving money.

Amy Byers with MTE gave WGNS listeners a few ideas on how you can save money during hot days...



If you can tolerate slightly higher temperature’s, you can save money by keeping your thermostat at 75-degrees. 
 
Managing the thermostat and the amount of sunlight that warms your home are good places to start, but limiting when you use appliances that give off heat can also go a long way in keeping the temperature down. MTE recommends these energy-saving tips to stay cool without breaking the bank this summer:
 
1. Turn off any unnecessary lights. Much of the energy consumed by light bulbs is emitted as heat, driving already warm temperatures even higher and sending your thermostat into overdrive.

2. Wear thin, loose-fitting clothing around the house to stay comfortable without keeping the room temperature low.

3. Keep blinds, shades and curtains closed during the hottest parts of the day to prevent sunlight from heating your home.

4. Run ceiling fans counterclockwise, forcing air to move straight down. Even mild air movement can make a room feel three to four degrees cooler.

5. Stoves and ovens can raise a kitchen’s temperature as much as 10 degrees. Use an outdoor grill or microwave as much as possible to keep the temperature down.

6. Limit chores that produce heat and moisture, like cooking, cleaning, ironing and laundry, to the cooler early morning and evening hours as much as possible.

7. Set your thermostat at the highest comfortable tempera­ture. The smaller the difference between your home’s inside temperature and the temperature outdoors, the lower your cooling costs will be.

To help members save more energy and money, MTE has a team of energy efficiency experts ready to help members manage their electric use. Go to mte.com for more information about energy services programs or contact 877-777-9020 to speak to your trusted energy advisor.