June 2024
Stay Cool and Save During Summer
Air conditioning can take the edge off a scorching day, but it can also drive up energy costs when not used wisely. Here are some tips to keep your home safe and comfortable, and to prevent energy waste and keep utility costs low.
Be cool, not cold. Every degree you raise your thermostat, the less energy you use. Setting the AC at 78 degrees on hot summer days balances personal comfort and affordability.
Set your air conditioner to “auto” instead of “on.” That setting tells the AC unit to run only when the temperature goes above your preferred setting. “On” will make it run continuously and waste energy.
Remember the 20-degree rule. Lowering the thermostat doesn’t necessarily make your home cool down quicker, but it does make your air conditioner work harder and drives up your electricity costs. Most AC units can only lower a home’s interior to about 20 degrees cooler than the outdoor temperature. So, if it’s 95 degrees outside and your thermostat is set to 70, your system might run all day and never reach it, but it’ll keep costing you money.
Pre-cooling pays off. Cool your home for free by opening windows in the early mornings, evenings or overnight (if it’s safe to do so) then shut them and the curtains before the temperatures rise. That will trap cool air inside. Pre-cooling with AC in the early afternoons before temperatures spike will have a similar effect.
Be a fan of fans. Ceiling and room fans can be just as effective at cooling you off as AC, but use a fraction of the power.
Say Hello When You See Us at Summer Events
Clark Public Utilities is proud to be a part of Clark County’s many community events. If you’re out and about, stop by and say hello!
This summer, watch for us at summer concerts for fun activities to help kids stay safe around electricity, or find us for a sip of cold water at the Clark County Fair! And our employee-volunteers are always happy to answer customer questions or to just chat!
Make the Most of Your Utility Account with MyAccount
MyAccount is Clark Public Utilities’ online customer service portal where you can access and manage all of your utility account information, anytime, from a computer or a smartphone.
Log in to sign up for email and text notifications about power outages and service restorations, new bills, payment reminders and more. Sign up for EqualPay to take the highs and lows out your monthly energy bills by averaging usage to calculate flat monthly payments. Then, turn on the AutoPay feature to have your payments made automatically, on a day you choose.
Look for the login button at the top of the utility’s homepage, or visit myaccount.clarkpublicutilities.com. MyAccount also offers personalized tools to help guide households toward real solutions to save energy. The home energy calculators in MyAccount use your account information and basic details about the home to show its energy consumption and offer suggestions to reduce energy use and lower expenses.
Visit the PowerZone to Power Up Summer Learning
Charge up your young learner’s summer fun with tons of hands-on activities and projects on the Clark Public Utilities PowerZone — an engaging, entertaining and educational website for kids, parents, educators and the community.
While the content and activities are tailored to school-age learners, it has content and projects for curious minds of all ages! You’ll find an endless number of project ideas, online games and activities, and interactive features to explore electricity, water, our natural environment, renewable energy and all the ways we work in the utility world.
Visit powerzone.clarkpublicutilities.com today to start exploring on a computer, tablet or phone!