TIPS TO REDUCE ENERGY USE IN SUMMER

Ed Krembuszewski, manager of energy effi ciency engineering at ComEd, is known as the Energy Doctor. He has tips on how to reduce energy use while still keeping cool during the summer months. Photo provided by Maura Ferrell
Ed Krembuszewski, manager of energy effi ciency engineering at ComEd, is known as the Energy Doctor. He has tips on how to reduce energy use while still keeping cool during the summer months. Photo provided by Maura Ferrell

 Tips to Reduce Energy Use in Summer

BY TIA CAROL JONES
     It’s summer and people will be turning on their air conditioners to beat the heat. ComEd’s Energy Doctor, Ed Krembuszewski, has tips on how to reduce energy use, which will help energy bill costs.
Krembuszewski said in most homes, the air conditioning system uses the most energy. He said when you’re running the air conditioner, you want to make sure that the vents that blow the air into the rooms aren’t covered by carpet or furniture.
     “You don’t want the air flow from those vents to be blocked. What’ll happen then, your room won’t get as cool and the air conditioning system will have to work harder to cool the room,” he said.
     Krembuszewski said curtains or shades should be closed when an air conditioner is being used. He said it is not only to keep the sunlight out, it keeps out the heat too. “You want to insulate the air space in your house from that warm glass. So, drawing your shades, even if the sun’s not coming in, will keep your home cooler,” he said.
     Krembuszewski said the Department of Energy recommends setting thermostats to 78 degrees when the air conditioner is running. He said at 78 degrees, without a lot of humidity, it will be comfortable. “It sounds like a high number, but it is comfortable. If you want to save energy, you want to follow this guidance,” he said.
     Krembuszewski added, if you leave your home for more than eight hours, the Department of Energy recommends turning up the thermostat by seven to ten degrees, to 85 or 88. “Just keep the eight hours in mind. If you’re going to be gone that long, it’s worth it. The eight hours is the critical duration. Overnight, they also recommend turning it up three to four degrees when you’re sleeping,” he said, adding the Department of Energy is trying to get people to save energy, so they will recommend temperatures that should keep you comfortable and save energy, as well.
     Krembuszewski said ceiling and box fans are also a way to keep cool and help save energy. He said, they create a breeze, make you feel cooler and cool your skin. The fan, however, is not going to cool the room, it just makes you feel cooler because of the wind it produces, he explained. Krembuszewski added, once you leave that room, turn the box fan off.
     For the ceiling fan, he said, “make sure that they’re rotating at a counterclockwise direction, because counterclockwise will push the air down, it will create that blowing on you.” He added, in the wintertime, a fan can be clockwise to push the warm air. “In the summertime, you just want that fan to be blowing on you.”
     After all that, Krembuszewski said, the system might not be running efficiently because you haven’t had the proper maintenance. He said ComEd offers rebates on air conditioning pump tune-ups. He said that maintenance is recommended before the cooling season.
     “You could have a brand-new system but if someone doesn’t set it up properly, it could be wasting you energy, even with all the tips,” he said, adding to make sure the air intakes that draw the air back to the furnace, “You want to make sure those are clean because if those are blocked with dirt, or if something is in front of them, your air conditioning system is going to have to work that much harder to cool the air.”
     Krembuszewski said the air filter in the furnace should be changed every three months. He said in the summertime, air filters get dirtier faster because people are going in and out of the house more, there is more dust being pulled in.
     ComEd offers free home energy assessments, which can be done by having an energy advisor come in-person to the home, or it can be done virtually. Krembuszewski said having the assessment done could qualify the homeowner for free LED lightbulbs, advanced power strips, water-saving showerheads, faucet aerators for the bathrooms and kitchen, hot water pipe installation and a programmable thermostat.
     “The energy advisor will also provide you with a personalized report that has tips and ideas that can help you save energy that will be personalized for your home,” he said.
     To request an assessment, visit comed.com/assessment, or call 855-433-2700. If you have a questions for the Energy Doctor, email energy.doctor@comed.com.

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