Here’s how to be energy efficient while still keeping your house cool
SPOKANE, Wash. — What temperature do you set your home at during the summer?
A recent report by Energy Star says, when it comes to being efficient, it’s best to keep your thermostat set at 78 when you’re home, 85 when you’re away, and 82 when you’re asleep.
To some who are used to blasting their air conditioning through the night, those temperatures might seem a little unreasonable.
So, how can you keep your home cool without raising your utilities bill?
Tom Lienhard, efficiency director at Avista, says one way is to run your dishwasher and other large appliances after 7 p.m., when cool air is already starting to hit. That will help from overheating an already hot house.
He says a clean attic will also help keep things cool. Otherwise, heat can get trapped.
“Many people stuff their attics so they can’t get any air in and out, and those attics become just very hot and just start radiating heat down through your home,” said Lienhard.
Lienhard says another way to cool off is by opening your windows in the morning to filter in cooler air naturally.
“Because we live in a continental climate, we’re in a great place to open the windows up in the morning and bring in some 60 degree air and cool that house down,” said Lienhard.
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