Extreme heat leads to higher utility bills

Here is were considering in investing in buying an Energy Star labeled product which also includes an Energy Star labeled home is worth the extra initial price. Some new homeowners buying large square footage homes may not mind paying the utility companies for their homes utility bills usage but can be certain that eventually it will affect their pockets.



By Stephen Abel


Extreme heat leads to higher utility bills - Live, Local, Late Breaking news, weather, and sports: "THOMASVILLE, GA (WALB) - Over the next few days folks will be opening their utility bills, and they may not like what they find.
The extreme summer heat is causing bills to be $50 to $100 more than last month for some customers. 'We've had higher than normal temperatures this summer, we've set some new records. The units simply aren't designed to take care of those temperatures. They're going to run longer,' said Waller Store Manager Ted Aimes.
There are some low cost steps people can take to lower their energy costs. 'If people are conscious of a few things they can do just to save a little bit of energy than it helps them out in the long run,' said Customer Care Supervisor Mark Parillo.
Ted Aimes from Waller Heating and Air says the first thing you should do is check the insulation of the home. 'The house will also loosen up as it gets a little bit older just keeping the windows tight, doorways caulked and sealed helps a lot. Keep the cool inside where it's supposed to be.'
One woman we spoke with said whenever she leaves the house she completely turns off her air. Aimes says the most efficient thing to do is just turn up the thermostat a few degrees.
Aimes says sometimes saving money starts with a new unit. 'So the unit that may have been properly sized for that house when it was put in now is struggling to keep up which means the unit runs more, the utility bill gets higher.'
Other things you can do to save money are turning off lights when you leave a room, turning down your hot water heater, and unplugging appliances when not in use.

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