On Your Side: Springfield City Utilities offers tips to lower summer energy costs

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) — City Utilities has advice on what homeowners can do to keep costs down when temperatures heat up this summer.

Steps include finding and sealing any drafty windows or doors in the home. City Utilities recommends setting thermostats to 78 degrees. While that can be uncomfortable for many, utility experts said raising it as much as comfortably can help save on energy.

Homeowners should make sure ceiling fans are going counterclockwise during the summer to push cool air down.

“We recommend replacing the air filters on your air conditioner two to three times per cooling season,” said Hallie Simniok, a City Utilities spokeswoman. “You can caulk and weather strip around doors and windows, especially if you feel a draft or see some daylight coming through. And also, don’t forget to change the direction on your ceiling fans to counterclockwise and remember that ceiling fans cool people, not rooms.”

It is important to be ready this year as City Utilities warns bills are expected to be even higher. The utility said unexpected power demands over the winter months pushed it to spend more on fuel than expected. A rate adjustment went into effect in April that has raised bills by around $5 more per month.

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