City of Davis

Summer Tips

• Summer Tips
• Anytime Tips
• Water Heating
• Hot Water Usage
• Clothes Drying
• Other Appliances
• Lighting
• Cooking
• Heat Related/Power Information

During the current energy crisis, saving power is important. However, your health and safety are more important. You should carefully choose energy conservation measures that do not compromise the health and safety of yourself or others. If you or a member of your household are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illness (children, older adults, taking certain medications, or subject to chronic illness), it might be a good idea to conserve by choosing energy conservation options that do not include adjusting your thermostat or going without air conditioning. Likewise, while reducing lighting is a good way to save energy, adequate lighting is essential to safety. Never use candles to replace normal lighting - far too many fires and fire deaths are caused by unattended candles.

• Set your thermostat to 78°F or more during the summer. Savings: 10-20% of cooling costs.
• Set your thermostat at 85°F or more when you leave your home for more than four hours. Savings: 5-12% of cooling costs.
• Use air conditioning wisely. You can still control your cooling costs on days when you have to use your air conditioner. Keep all your doors and windows shut and avoid using a humidifier.
• Don't overcool. Don't turn your thermostat lower than normal to cool your home faster. It doesn't work.
• Keep heat-producing appliances away from your thermostat. Heat emitted by television sets, lamps, and other appliances will make your cooling system work harder.
• Unless you have furniture, art or equipment that could be damaged by excessive heat, turn your cooling unit off when you leave your home for more than 24 hours.
• Provide shading for your air conditioning condenser. Savings: 2-3% of cooling costs.
• Use exterior shading devices like awnings, bamboo screens and shade screens (instead of bug screens), or deciduous plants to shade your home and windows (especially south, west and east facing) from the sun. In the summer, leafy trees provide cool shade. In the winter, bare branches allow the sun to warm your home. Small shrubs can block heat reflected from patios and pavement. And planting vines over southern windows can reduce the effect of the sun's heat. Savings: Up to 8% of cooling costs.
• Use your shades. Closing drapes and shades – especially on southern windows – will help keep the sun out and your home cool. Cover eastern windows in the mornings and western windows in the afternoon.
• Turn off your furnace pilot light during the non-heating season. Savings: 3-9% of cooling costs.
• Cool naturally. Take advantage of breezy days and nights by opening doors and windows and turning off your cooling system. Cross-ventilation (breezes from opposite sides of your home) is the best. On breezeless days, portable or ceiling fans can help you stay cool for a fraction of the cost of air conditioning.
• In hot climates with cool evenings, open up your windows and doors at night, and close them (and drapes and shades) during the day time to keep the inside of your house cool.
• If you are planning to replace your windows, choose Energy Star® windows. Savings: 15% of cooling and heating costs.
• Give appliances a break during hot summer afternoons and evenings. Many appliances create added heat and moisture making your air conditioner work harder. Use them in the early morning or late evening when the temperature is cooler.
• Prepare cool meals such as salads and sandwiches, and barbecue outdoors.
• Avoid using large quantities of water during peak times. Because energy prices are highest during peak times, it costs your local water utility more to run the water pumps during those hours. These costs are eventually passed on to you. Plan ahead so that clothes and dishes are washed in the late evening. Water lawns between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m..
• Consider a solar water heating system for your swimming pool.
• Keep your spa or pool covered when not in use. Well-fitted pool and spa covers help prevent heat loss. They also reduce water evaporation. Consider a solar cover; it lies on the water's surface and heats the water from the sun. Pool and spa combos save energy because they share the same filtration and heating systems. Use a time clock to pre-set the exact hours you want your pool heated. Savings: 50 to 70% of water heating costs.
• Switch pool filter and sweeper operations to off-peak hours. Peak hours are between noon and 6 p.m. Consider replacing pool pumps and motors with updated, more efficient equipment. Savings depend on your use.
• Shorten the operating time for your swimming pool filter and automatic cleaning sweep (if your pool has one). In the winter, two hours a day of filtering will keep your pool clean. Savings: 40 to 50%.
• When closing a pool for the winter, drain all water from the heater, filter, pump, and piping system. Remove the pump motor and store in a dry place. Inspect the spa heater annually for scale, mineral deposits, or corrosion.
• When going on vacation, set your air conditioner at 85 degrees, or turn it off completely in moderate climates. Turn off or unplug major appliances you won’t be using, except your refrigerator and freezer. Turn an electric water heater off or a gas water heater to the pilot setting. Turn off the pool heaters and reduce pump operating times. Put a few lights and appliances on timers to make your home appear occupied.