Photo courtesy of Alabama Power Co.
Summer has arrived in Alabama, and so has the heat and humidity. As temperatures continue to rise during the summer season, many Alabama residents are using more energy to keep their homes comfortable, which can lead to higher power bills.
In addition, families are probably spending more time away from home and outside for fun events like barbecues, a day at the park, family reunions or vacations. Before heading out the door, make sure to set your home to “away mode,” which can help you save energy while you are out and about this summer.
Alabama Power shares these tips:
- Raise your thermostat a few degrees to reduce AC use: Turn your home’s thostat up a few degrees before you head out to help use less energy and save while you’re away.
- Turn off lights, except those needed for security: Before leaving the house, make sure to turn off any unnecessary lighting. You can also consider using a timer, smart plugs or power strips to manage your lights. And don’t forget to turn off ceiling fans and personal fans before you leave the house as well.
- Unplug electronics and small appliances, which still draw power even when off: Even when switched off, your appliances and equipment are still using energy and even generate small amounts of heat. To help keep things cool, unplug any electronics you’re not using. Unplugging these devices while you’re away this summer could make a few degrees difference in your house and help you save energy.
- Close blinds, shades and curtains to keep your home cooler: Another quick and easy tip that only takes a few seconds to complete is to close your blinds, shades and curtains. This simple tip can help you block out heat-producing sunlight and maintain a cooler temperature inside your home.
As a reminder, Alabama Power has free tools and resources to help customers stay comfortable and cool while also keeping energy costs in check. These tools and resources empower customers to take control of their energy bills by helping to monitor and manage energy usage, explore the best rate option for their home, find bill payment assistance and easily pay their power bill.
- Tools to help fight the heat: Manage your account on the go with the Alabama Power Mobile App. Make payments quickly and securely and track energy usage with My Power Usage. Customers can also report outages, view the outage map and receive personalized alerts.
- Payment and account management options to help keep cool: Pay online at AlabamaPower.com or use Digital Wallet tools, like Venmo and Google Pay. Schedule payments, enroll in AutoPay and set up billing alerts online.
- Don’t forget about our new online tools: Better understand your bill, learn about rate options and locate energy assistance during this time with Alabama Power’s new Bill Explainer, Rate Advisor and Energy Assistant. They are free and available to use at alabamapower.com/summer.
