As Summer temperatures crank up, many are looking for energy-saving methods at home. Property owners and managers can also help with energy-saving methods that can help residents. For example, maintenance staff members should have already conducted inspections of air conditioning units. It’s important for maintenance to also change air filters inside of units.

Energy-Saving At Home: Help your Residents Save!

The Department of Energy released energy-saving tips to help keep homes cool and costs minimal this Summer. In addition to AC Maintenance, experts say these changes are critical to cost-cutting at home.

• First, make sure units on your properties have ceiling fans installed. Encourage residents to keep fans running. Experts say this will allow residents to raise thermostats by four degrees. Utilizing fans can help energy-saving goals while not sacrificing comfort.
• Second, encourage residents to cook outdoors when possible. Using indoor ovens will heat units and increase utility bills. Residents should use pots and pans that evenly cover heating elements when cooking on stovetops. Also, use tight-fitting lids to keep as much heat inside pots and pans as possible.
• Third, if you utilize programmable thermostats on your property, encourage residents to set the temperature and walk away. On warmer days, set thermostats higher when you are not home. Energy companies like Alabama Power suggest setting thermostats to 78 degrees for optimal energy-saving. Experts say this will lower utility bills by approximately 10 percent.
• Finally, remind residents to turn on bathroom fans. These fans will help suck out heat and humidity while improving comfort.

Moreover, energy-saving can be found by embracing the Summer Sun. Tell residents to turn the lights off and take advantage of natural light when possible. Further energy savings can be found in laundry rooms. Specifically, don’t overuse soap when washing laundry. Experts say this will make your washing machine work overtime and consume more energy.