The hot days of summer place a lot of stress on America’s utility network. For many electric utilities, these hottest days create greater “peak loads” than at any other time of the year. These times of greatest demand can potentially lead to limited power supply disruptions, and on rare occasions, an outage may occur. A utility’s peak load affects its electricity cost and this cost is ultimately passed along to its customers.
The
greatest peak loads often occur in the late afternoon on summer days, when the
air conditioning systems in most buildings are running, and when families first
arrive home and start using household appliances. You can help reduce summer
peak loads and do your part to help conserve energy by adjusting your daily
routine in a few small ways:
1.
Avoid doing laundry in the afternoon–choose the morning or late evening
instead. If you must run your washing machine during these times, use cold water
instead of hot. If you must dry your clothes during this time, use a clothesline
or indoor drying rack. Avoid running your dishwasher during these times, too.
These appliances tend to heat up your home, too, so you’ll be more comfortable
if you don’t run them during the day.
2.
Close your windows and draw the shades during the day to keep the sun
from overheating your home. Better yet, install exterior window shades, sun
screens, or awnings to block summer sun before it enters your home.
3.
If you have central air conditioning, hire a serviceman to perform
periodic service. This should include changing the filters, checking the
refrigerant charge, cleaning the coils, and sealing leaky ducts. You can change
the filters yourself, too, once you learn where they are located. If you have
window air conditioners, remove them periodically and clean their coils with hot
soapy water and a stiff brush.