WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The temperatures are soaring across much of the U.S. as we enter Father’s Day weekend, and many people are looking for ways to efficiently keep their homes – and themselves – cool.
A mega-heat wave is baking the western United States with temperatures expected to exceed 120 degrees in parts of Nevada, Arizona and California. Temperatures are also expect to spike in the Midwest. Forty-million people across the country are set to see temperatures soar into the triple digits this weekend, Yahoo reports.
If you’re not conserving energy, the temperatures may not be the only thing rising this week — so could your energy bill if you’re trying to beat the heat.
There are a few ways you can lower your bill.
“Our advice is maybe to start out at about 78 degrees and see how that feels for you and your family, just find that balance between energy efficiency and comfort at home,” said Gina Penzig, external communications manager with Evergy, in Kansas. “You can opt to have sandwiches or salads for dinner and not turn the stove on during that hottest part of the day, waiting until later in the day to do your laundry and to do dishwashing things like that.”
Penzig said you should lower your blinds and shut the vents in rooms you don’t use, but don’t turn off your AC while you’re away.
“It’s going to be a lot of strain on your unit and it is not cost effective,” she said.
Taking it outside your home, you can use a hose to cool off the siding and roofing. Still, Mid America Exteriors Chief Operating Officer David Becker said it could be labor-intensive for a temporary fix.
“It’s gonna be a quick temporary fix for sure,” said Becker.
If you plan to nail down some home upgrades this year, Becker said you could cut the cooling cost long-term by choosing lighter colored siding for your home and buying energy-efficient windows.
As for window tinting, Becker said think again.
“They really don’t work that well and they usually peel off, so I wouldn’t recommend that,” he said.