Feelin’ Hot, Hot, Hot? Keep Summer Energy Costs Lower without Sacrificing Comfort

THE WOODLANDS, TX– Summer officially starts Friday, but the hot weather is already in full force! Take steps now to minimize the impact that sizzling temperatures can have on your energy bill.

The top ways to save energy and keep your costs lower without sacrificing comfort are:

- Get your A/C inspected to make sure your system is leak-free and operating as efficiently as possible. Don’t forget about air filters; some units require monthly cleaning or replacing. Get incentives of up to $150 with a high efficiency A/C tune-up or take advantage of other Entergy Solutions programs.

- Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree lower than 78 can raise your bill as much as 3%. If you crank down the A/C to a cooler 72 degrees, you’ve already increased your bill by 18%.

- Buy a programmable thermostat. As energy use rises, costs also rise. If you spend most of your day outside of the house, set your thermostat to automatically shut off or raise the A/C setting when you’re away.

- Use fans to cool off, but remember – fans cool people, not rooms. Ceiling fans, box fans and oscillating fans use very little electricity and circulate the air, which helps you feel several degrees cooler. To save more energy, be sure to turn them off when you leave the room.

- Close blinds, shades and curtains to keep the sun out and the cool air in. Also, close A/C vents in rooms that are not in use.

- Seal cracks and holes around doors, windows and duct work. Inexpensive weather stripping and caulk will help keep the cold air inside the house and the hot air outdoors.

Access a variety of energy-saving tips, options and calculators at entergy.com/savemoney.

For those struggling to pay their summer energy bills, Entergy helps low-income, disabled and elderly customers through its customer-assistance fund, The Power to Care, which is funded by donations from Entergy employees, customers and shareholders.

In addition to The Power to Care, bill-payment assistance also is available through the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. For more information customers can visit www.entergy-texas.com/