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Take a Summer Vacation from High Energy Bills

Many Wisconsin residents view the summer months as a vacation from cold temperatures and high heating bills, but as temperatures spike and humidity levels rise, maintaining a comfortable environment in a home can be costly. According to Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, this doesn’t have to be the case. By looking for the ENERGY STAR^® when purchasing cooling equipment such as ceiling fans, room and central air conditioners and dehumidifiers, you can be comfortable in your home without feeling discomfort in your wallet.

Products that earn the ENERGY STAR help prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. They take less energy to operate, which results in less money spent on energy bills. In short, ENERGY STAR qualified cooling products are better for the environment and cost less to run while functioning as well, if not better than standard models.

Be Cool With The ENERGY STAR

Ceiling fans are a great way to increase your personal comfort level on hot days. When run counter-clockwise, a ceiling fan will help circulate warm air out open windows and create a nice breeze in the room. In fact, depending on temperatures and humidity, a ceiling fan may provide enough comfort to allow the air conditioning to be turned off – saving energy and money.

To save even more energy and money...

Is Your Business Ready for Cooling Season?

It’s in the best interest of any business to maintain a comfortable working environment for employees since comfort level can impact productivity and employee retention. As such, most companies use a cooling system to regulate the temperature and humidity in their facility during the hot summer months. Unfortunately, the added energy expenditure needed for cooling a building can result in higher energy bills. By making smart cooling choices, businesses can ease the strain on their budgets and improve their bottom line.

According to some estimates, cooling equipment may use as much as a third of the electricity consumed in a typical building. In addition to needing a lot of energy to operate, cooling systems are typically in use during peak demand periods, which can result in additional charges from the utility company. So what can a business do to cut costs, while maintaining a comfortable work environment? Focus on Energy can offer several tips that should get utility bills moving in the right direction.

Assess Current Operations – Then Act

Before purchasing new cooling equipment or enhancing existing equipment, it’s important to assess current energy use related to cooling. How much energy is your facility using for cooling? Is any of that energy being wasted? What type of cooling equipment is being used? Is it operating as efficiently as possible? Answering these questions will help you decide how to move forward...

Energy Savings Blowing in the Wind

For many reasons, including energy costs and a growing concern for the environment, people are becoming more interested in renewable energy. When people think of renewable energy for their home or business, most think of solar energy – used to heat water or provide electricity. In some instances, wind energy is another form of renewable energy that is available. In reality, businesses, farms and homeowners can use wind energy to produce electricity and make them less dependent on fossil fuels.

About Wind Energy

Tips For Staying Cool

Staying cool during hot summer days doesn’t have to be expensive. Focus on Energy recommends the following energy efficient tips for staying cool on a budget:

1. Run heat-producing appliances at night or early in the morning to avoid adding more heat to a home and putting extra strain on an air conditioner.
2. Use a programmable thermostat so it can automatically adjust the temperature setting while you are asleep or at work, saving you $100 a year. Each degree you add to your thermostat setting cuts air conditioning cooling costs by 3 percent to 5 percent.
3. Schedule annual, pre-season maintenance check-ups with a licensed contractor to ensure a cooling system is operating efficiently and safely.
4. Regularly clean or change the air conditioner/furnace filter according to the system’s instructions.
5. Run ceiling fans counter-clockwise to circulate warm air out open windows.
6. Air-dry clothes, which not only eliminates the energy needed to run the dryer, but also eliminates more heat from being produced by the dryer in the home.
7. Shut out the hot summer sun by closing windows and pulling shades or curtains.
8. Finding and sealing air leaks is often the most cost effective way to improve a home’s energy efficiency and comfort. The biggest leaks are usually around gaps in plumbing, chimneys and wiring bypasses and in dropped ceilings and in soffit boxes. Plugging leaks will help lower winter heating costs, too.
9. Insulate. It’s a good investment, especially if your house was built before 1960.
10. Look for the ENERGY STAR when purchasing cooling equipment such as ceiling fans, room and central air conditioners and dehumidifiers. ENERGY STAR qualified models can use up to 50 percent less energy than standard models, saving you money.
11. Use a dehumidifier to increase the comfort of a home and protect against mold. ENERGY STAR qualified models use up to 20 percent less energy than standard models.