SOUTHERN COLORADO — The heat is back across Southern Colorado and that means many have got the air conditioning units up and running. If you leave it constantly on, that could mean a big hole in your cash pocket.
Utility companies across Southern Colorado say there are a few different ways that you can save some cash on summer cooling.
On Tuesday, Colorado Springs Utilities says the city's electric load hit its peak of 2023 so far at 957 megawatts (MW). The utility company says the city's all-time peak load came on July 28th, 2021 when the electric load for the city hit 989 MW.
Black Hills Energy, which serves a good portion of Pueblo and the surrounding
counties informed News5 that their all-time peak electric load was 422 MW set in 2019. This year the utility company set a peak load of 358 MW on June 28th.
To put that into perspective according to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, one megawatt of capacity equates to around the amount of electricity consumed by 400-900 homes in the U.S. in one year.
Two Southern Colorado utility companies are encouraging people to think of alternative methods of cooling to help reduce bills and each company's electric loads.
Colorado Springs Utilities and Black Hills Energy say customers without cooling systems can follow these simple steps:
- Open doors and windows in the morning to cool the home naturally.
- Use a fan on one end of the house to blow cool air in, and another at the other end facing outside to blow warm air out.
- Close all the windows and doors once the home is cooled, and close thick blackout curtains or blinds to protect from the sun’s heat.
- Set ceiling fans to rotate counterclockwise to push cool air down.
- Use portable fans throughout the house to move air around.
- Use home appliances like dryers and dishwashers during early morning or late evening hours. While these appliances are on, they let off extra heat. Even better, hang dry clothes.
- Grill outside or use the microwave for cooking. Skip the oven.
- Install an attic ventilator, these devices are a fraction of the cost of a cooling system and continue to ventilate hot air out of your home.
Methods for homes with a cooling system:
- Set the thermostat higher on hot days so the cooling system doesn’t work overtime.
- Thermostats should be left at a higher temperature when not at home or at night when sleeping.
- A smart thermostat will help schedule your system to run more efficiently and Springs Utilities offers a $50 rebate on qualified smart thermostat purchases. (See below for more information on a new Peak Energy Rewards program.)
- Change the filter on your heating and cooling equipment. This low-cost, easy-to-do task can save up to 15% on energy use.
- Clean any dirt, leaves, or debris near an outside unit.
- Inspect your home for air leaks. Check for proper insulation and air leaks to help reduce energy waste and keep cool air in.
- Move household electronics away from thermostats, electronics such as lamps, computers, and televisions emit heat and can unintentionally trigger the air conditioner.
- Not using it? Unplug it!
Both Colorado Springs Utilities and Black Forest Hills customers can track the energy usage of their homes, you can follow the link below to see how your home compares to others.
Colorado Springs Utilities Usage Dashboard
Black Hills Energy Customer Portal
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