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Energy Tips

Take a vacation from high utility bills this summer

Ready to take some well-deserved time off and head for the beach? Give your home appliances a break, too, and you'll come home to a lower energy bill.

• If you have a backyard pool, you can save energy maintaining it by giving your pool pump a break. Cutting back its operating hours to the minimum needed to keep your pool clean will save money and extend the life of your pump. If you have a heated pool, keep it covered when it's not in use to avoid heat lost to evaporation.
• Eliminate condensation on windows and walls by controlling high humidity. Installing a whole-home dehumidifier like the Humiditrol dehumidification system reduces excess moisture to help you feel more comfortable and lower your risk of developing mold and mildew problems.
• Plant trees to keep your cool. Adding deciduous trees around your home will block the sun's rays to avoid overheating your home. The trees will lose their leaves in the winter, so the sun can help warm your home when it's needed.
• Wash and dry several loads of laundry back to back, so your dryer won't cool down completely between loads. Better yet, hang laundry outdoors to air-dry it free of charge!
• Don't force your air conditioning system to work harder than it has to. Make sure curtains and furniture aren't blocking any vents, and keep lamps away from the thermostat.
• Sign up now for a chimney cleaning service, when no one else is thinking about their  fireplace. You'll avoid long waits for an appointment, and keep your fireplace running safely and efficiently.
• Use microwaves, slow-cookers and other smaller appliances to prepare dinner. You could save up to 30% of the energy used by a conventional oven* (and you'll reduce the heat load on your air conditioner).