7 energy-saving tips from a lineman
We took some of our most-asked questions and sat down with one of our seasoned linemen, Kyle, to get the inside scoop on how he and his family prep for the summer season. His day job might be keeping the lights on, but he’s picked up a thing or two about energy efficiency over the years. Here are some practical tips straight from Kyle’s own playbook.
1. What’s the first thing you do to get your home ready for the summer heat?
We usually try to get an HVAC pro in there to make sure everything’s in working order before the heat really kicks into high gear. They’ll check things over for you, clean out the filters, and make sure everything’s running smoothly. And if your air filter needs replacing, I’d go ahead and do it now, so your AC unit is efficient and ready to go.
2. What are some other things I can do to help my AC unit perform better during extreme heat?
So, there’s this 20-degree rule, where if it’s, say, 95 degrees out, and you’ve set your thermostat to 70, your AC unit is going to constantly be working in overdrive because that’s more than a 20-degree difference. If you can, try to be mindful of the temp outside and what you set your thermostat on. And another little trick to take some of the load off your unit: keep the curtains and blinds closed during the hottest part of the day.
3. What are some effective ways to track energy usage in my home?
Well, you know, keeping an eye on your energy use is key to keeping your bill in check. We have this tool, called My Power Usage, that makes it easy to see how much energy you’re using, so you know whether to make adjustments if you want to bring your usage down. (You can check it out at alabamapower.com/mypowerusage.)
4. How can I save energy while doing laundry during the busy summer months?
My wife and I have a rule to always wait until there’s a full load, so that saves us a lot of time and energy. Also, laundry detergents today don’t really require hot water to work just as well. You can save even more energy by using cold water for all your washes.
5. If there was one thing you’d change in your home to make it more energy efficient, what would it be?
Windows. Energy-efficient windows play a huge role in keeping the heat out in the summer and the warmth in during the winter. If you can swap out any old windows for ones with low-emissivity coatings, double or triple panes and insulated frames, I would do it. It’s a great investment.
6. Any tips for getting the family involved in saving energy?
Get all the kids on board with the “lights off when you leave the room” rule. And make sure they fully close exterior doors when they leave, especially when they’re coming in and out all the time from playing outside. These are small things that can make a difference.
7. What’s one last thing we should keep top of mind this summer?
Well, especially with the summer storm season, we always keep weather top of mind. We recommend staying prepared for any storm event, and you can always access our outage map (outagemap.alabamapower.com) for estimated restoration times and other helpful information if needed. Y’all stay safe, and I’ll be out there with my crew – working around the clock to keep your lights on.