10 Ways to Reduce Your Summer Utility Bills

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I am concerned that the same people who are promoting compact fluorescent lamps were the same ones who warned about the MERCURY METAL that these lamps contained and how the disposal would result in increased MERCURY in our water supplies. HOW THEIR "TUNE" HAS CHANGED !

CARL of TX 4:03PM May 07, 2010

Telephone the California Public Utilities Committee and ask why PG&E are allowed to charge $0.42 per kilowatt when they buy the same kilowatt for $0.05.
If we are thinking of reducing our Summer Utility bills start with PG&E questioning these rates.
Californians look at your monthly electric bill and ask to have it explained regarding the various rates we must pay.

Pj of CA 3:27PM May 07, 2010

Very surprised this article did not include the biggest summertime energy saver: the whole house fan. This is not an attic fan, it's a fan that blows air out of the house, through an upstairs ceiling, usually a central hallway, into the attic. When night and morning temperatures are low outside, saves on cooling. But even more important, the whole house fan replaces superheated attic air with house air. This takes attic temperatures down from 120 or higher, so air conditioning doesn't have to keep compensating for heat radiating down from the attic.
Huge savings for a few hundred bucks. Make sure to install a timer switch on your whole house fan. Department of Energy recommends. Many people, including article writers, don't know about the whole house fan.

Randy of CA 2:42PM May 07, 2010

I just got my home weatherized for free, I live in the las vegas area its a free program through the local electric company here (NV Energy), I had to qualify based on income and send paperwork in but it was worth it because my electric bill HAS indeed lowered. I just think its great that they are offering this free program. In case you are interested and live in Las Vegas, or Reno http://www.nvenergy.com/home/assistance/comfortsavings.cfm

Sandra of NV 2:38PM May 07, 2010

We try to be conservative with electricity (lights, thermostat, etc.), but here in the southwest where the wind blows hard, the sun is hot (fades clothing) and it is dusty a lot of the time, I am going to continue to use my electric clothes dryer. I am of the generation who hung clothes outside when young and I am not willing to do it again. I can set my dryer for a desired number of minutes and dry a large load of clothing. Then I know the clothes are clean.

Jane N. May of OK 3:48PM May 06, 2010

I'm sure you can save a lot by changing the dumb water heater setup built into most oil-heated homes in the northeast, where you're expected to leave your furnace running all Summer to heat hot water. Install an electric hot water heater near the oil-fired water heater (if you've got one) with a cutoff valve between the two. This way you can turn off the furnace and oil water heater completely when the heating season ends and cut over to the electric water heater. The cost of electric and oil is about the same these days, but not using the furnace will save on waste throughout the system (the oil furnace and hot water heater both draw electricity and the heat leads to more air conditioner use). I would suggest not using an "instant on" hot water heater if you have tankless oil hot water and live in the hurricane zones because you may need an emergency supply of clean water when the big one comes, and that would be what's in your hot water heater tank...

Rich of CT 11:47AM May 06, 2010

1. If you live in the a region such as the great lakes and new england, don't use A/C at all! You don't need it!
2. Don't use the clothes dryer. Hang your clothes to dry. The dryer is an energy hog.

Bob of OH 11:38AM May 06, 2010