Summer months in Missouri mean hot days! As heat rises and stays hot for a while, you feel it on your skin and in your wallet. When you look at your monthly energy bill, you might wonder, “how can I reduce my bill?” The good news is that doing a lot of little things can add up and that racks up big savings on your monthly bill, and helps conserve energy, which benefits our entire community by putting less pressure on the electric grid.

Here are some tips from our friends at Take Control and Save®:

1. Set your water heater temperature no higher than 120 degrees.

2. Limit your shower length to 5-7 minutes.

3. Take the guard off your refrigerator base and clean the dust and debris.

4. Set the refrigerator temperature to 34-37 degrees and the freezer to 0-5.

5. Unplug unused refrigerators and freezers. Better yet, recycle them!

6. Use the air-dry cycle instead of heat-dry on your dishwasher.

7. Use cold water when washing clothes.

8. Make sure vents are not blocked by furniture or drapes.

9. Only do full laundry and dishwasher loads.

10. Consider using a "solar-powered" clothes dryer: a clothesline

11. Make sure the outdoor dryer exhaust door closes when the dryer is off.

12. Make sure the dryer vent hose is tightly connected to the dryer and wall. 13. Ensure your outdoor air conditioner unit is kept clean.

14. Turn computers, electronics, and any other energy-using device off when they are not in use. Better yet, unplug them if possible.

15. Set your thermostat to 78 degrees.

16. Keep windows closed and locked when cooling your home.

17. Close your shades and curtains to help keep the heat out.

18. Keep your garage door down. A garage that is cooler in the summer will save energy.

Questions? Contact us at 392-3709 or visit our national partner, Touchstone Energy®