Saving On Air Conditioning During this Heat Wave

With the record heat covering the country right now it's important for people to think about how to efficiently and effectively use their air conditioning. By simply using your air conditioning properly you reduce what is, for many of us, one of our largest house hold summer expenses.

Even better is that it's good for the environment and it takes some of the burden off of our overloaded electrical grid. For it is these peak times of electrical usage in the summer, as we all seek some relief from the sweltering heat, that the electric companies and their aging power grids face a crisis in delivery. This it no better shown than in the many areas that have constant black out or brown out problems during these seasonal heat waves every year.

So keeping that in mind I ask you all to do two things.

First check with your electric provider and see if they have any programs such as we have here in Kansas to help. In Wichita and many other parts of the state serviced by Westar Energy they will come in and install FREE electronic thermostats that greatly reduce cost since these state of the art units allow them to control the cycling of a home owners unit. Just being able to not have every unit in an area come on at the same time prevents spikes in electrical usage that benefit us all.

Better still they will promise to reduce your electric bills by 20%. Which from my own personal experience has happened. That's a win-win situation if there ever was one. (Kansas residents you can read about the WattSaver program here on Westar's website.)

And Second take some time to really study up on just what are good air conditioning practices. So may false ideas and misconceptions are out there that no one article can address them all. But by simply doing some on line research you can find lots of information that will help you to be a better more aware electrical consumer and stay cool in the process.

A good article to start with is one that is on Yahoo right now about air conditioning myths. You might be surprised at some of the things you believe that simply aren't true.

So start with this article Five air-conditioning Myths.

And PLEASE remember to be careful in this heat and be sure to check up on those neighbors, family, and friends you know that might be at risk due to age, health, or economic hardship. No one should die from the summer heat but every year many do.

In fact this article came about after I learned of a friend who just this last Thursday lost their mother due to the heat. She had apparently been trying to save money and not running her air conditioning during the day. That mistake cost her life. And it will forever haunt her children who by not checking on her feel they allowed it to happen. Go with Gods' grace Edna Brown you will be missed by many!