Staying Cool and Saving Money

As temperatures rise, energy demand is spiking across New York as people are turning on their air conditioners to keep cool. However, there are ways to remain cool without using as much energy and simultaneously lowering your utility bills.

If you use a window air conditioner, the primary energy efficiency measure you can take is ensuring that you have the right air conditioner for your space. A balance between comfort and energy-use can be found to make sure that you stay cool while also saving energy—check out guidelines on which product works best for you.

You can also opt for a more energy efficient product. Although this may seem costly, there are lots of rebates available that could lower your price. You can search for rebates in your area here. Similarly, conEdison offers a free Wi-Fi device that lets you monitor your window air conditioner from an app. The device lets you turn your air conditioner on and off remotely and set schedules so that you only use your air conditioner when you need it.

If you have central air conditioning, there are other ways that you can scale back your energy use. Smart thermometers like Nest learn the temperature you like in your home and automatically detect when you are there or not to curb your energy-usage. The energy savings from systems like Nest have been proven to be enormous, and most people find that the cost of purchasing the thermostat is paid off in two years or less. Like conEdison’s window AC device, you can also control smart thermometers remotely so that you aren’t wasting energy when you aren’t home.

Whatever air conditioning method you use this summer, make sure to implement the best energy efficiency practices to cut back on your energy-use and save money!

By: Korinna Garfield