Save on Electricity

With every day that goes by, the thermometer seems to go up by a degree or two.  We're headed into that time of year: Summertime in The Villages.  If you haven't already, you will probably soon be turning on the air conditioner.  With that, your electricity bills will soon be going up.  But, there are a few simple things you can do to stay cool this summer, and still keep your wallet happy.  Here are a few suggestions:

Change your A/C Filter: For most systems, your A/C filter should be changed once a month.  This small investment of dollars and time will save you big time in the long run.  A clean air filter allows your system to run more efficiently, saving you money each month on your electric bill.  A clean filter also removes more dust, pollen and allergens.  You'll not only breathe easier, but you might even save some money on allergy medicine or trips to the doctor.  Most importantly, changing your air filter monthly will prolong the life of your system.  This means fewer repair or replacement costs down the road.

It's important that you buy the right size filter for your air conditioner.  Usually you can find the size marked on the side of your current filter, or on your air conditioning unit itself.  Once you know what size filter you need, you can order them online through Amazon, or you can have Village Delivery bring them as part of your grocery or other delivery order.  As a bonus, your Village Delivery person will be happy to change your air filter for you, if your delivery includes an air filter!



Fill it up!  Dishwashers are a great modern convenience, but they also use a lot of energy.  Be sure to fill your dishwasher completely before running it.  It uses the same amount of energy to wash one dish as it does a full load.  Plus, this is a great way to make sure you are getting the most for your dollar on the detergent you buy.  Also, consider washing large pots and pans by hand.  They take up a lot of room in the dishwasher; room that could be filled with many smaller dishes instead.  You might also turn off the heated dry cycle, and instead let the dishes air dry.

Fill it up, too!  Like your dishwasher, your washer and dryer should also be filled to capacity (but not overfilled) for the most efficient use of the energy used to power these machines.  Washing your clothes with warm or cold water saves quite a bit of energy compared to washing with hot water.  And, there are many laundry detergents that are formulated to work just as well in cold water to get your clothes clean.  Just like your A/C filter, be sure to clean the lint filter in your dryer regularly (after every load or two is recommended).  This not only makes your dryer work more efficiently, but it also reduces the risk of fire associated with lint build-up.

Buy more groceries!  It may seem a bit self-serving for a grocery delivery company to recommend buying more groceries.  However, if you want your refrigerator and freezer to run more efficiently and use less energy, you should keep them full.  The more items in the fridge or freezer, the less air space has to be cooled.  These objects actually help keep the temperature lower, meaning it takes less energy to keep running.  As you remove items from your refrigerator, consider putting in bottles of water to help fill up the space.  Not only will this reduce the amount of energy needed, but it will also ensure you have plenty of cold water on those hot summer days in The Villages!