ALABAMA A&M and AUBURN UNIVERSITIES

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AUTO THERMOSTAT CAN SAVE 20 PERCENT ON SUMMER ELECTRIC BILLS

AUBURN, MAY 29--Consumers gone most of the day can save a lot of money by setting their electric thermostats above 80 degrees Fahrenheit so air-conditioning units don't have to run so much.

It only takes an hour or so after you return home and reset the thermostat to a lower temperature for the house to cool down.

The problem with this cost-saving method is, most residents don't want that less than comfortable first hour, says Georgia Aycock, Extension resource management specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

Here's a tip that could save you more than 20 percent on electric bills. Use an automatic thermostat. These thermostats cost less than $50 and can be programmed to reset air- conditioning temperatures for you, says Aycock.

"Set the thermostat to a lower temperature about an hour before you're due to get home, and the house will be comfortable when you arrive," she says.

Here are some other things you can do to save on electric bills.

  • Check equipment to make sure it is in working order. A serviceman may be needed to oil motors and add refrigerant, but home residents should replace or clean filters regularly.
  • Close curtains on east windows in the morning and west windows in the afternoon. Sunlight in the windows can be a big source of discomfort.

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    SOURCE: GEORGIA AYCOCK, Extension resource management, Alabama Cooperative Extension System (334) 844-2215.