TEXAS, USA — Temperatures are soaring and will continue climbing throughout the week which is why ERCOT is asking Texans to cut down on their energy usage.
Arcadio Padilla with Reliant Energy said, “We're having this kind of heat before summer even officially starts. That's the scary part.”
He said that the ERCOT conservation request isn’t really surprising considering how much temperatures have steadily climbed over the years.
“Air conditioning used to be a privilege now it's almost a necessity,” he added.
The biggest power grid and money saving tip for the rest of the summer is to make sure your air conditioner is running properly and that you regularly change your filter.
Joe Stowe with Stonebridge heating and air said it's super simple.
“It takes about 3 seconds to change a filter," he said, "You just pop the door off, and then we reach down and pull the filter out. The filter comes out, a new one goes back in, you close the door and you’re done.”
Before you think that your one household can’t make much of a difference, for every one degree that you turn up on your thermostat while you’re away, you’re saving 8% of your energy use. There are also 10 million homes in Texas so just think how quickly that could add up.
Padilla says if nothing else motivates you to conserve, think about your pockets.
He said, “I mean, I would look at it selfishly. I want to make sure that my home is as efficient as possible so that my money stays in my pocket. Right?”
One thing to avoid is turning your AC off while you’re not home during the day and then turning it back on when you get in. This does more harm than good.
Stowe explained, “The walls become hot. The ceilings become hot. The attic gets to 150 degrees. Your unit will never recover.”
Other common things that experts want you to keep in mind are turning off and unplugging non-essential electronics. You may also be surprised with how much energy you can save by simply closing your blinds.