Do Your Part During Peak Alerts
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 could potentially lead to limited power supply disruptions; and on rare occasions, an outage or blackout may occur. A utility’s peak load affects its electricity cost and this cost is ultimately passed along to its customers. During these times we may alert you to conserve on energy use.
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 by adjusting your daily routine in a few small ways:
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
Source: John Krigger, Saturn Resource Management (www.srmi.biz)