Now that temperatures are rising and the sun is shining, Efficiency Vermont is helping Vermonters stay cool and lower their energy bills with the following tips:

Open Up. In the cooler evening and early morning hours, open your windows instead of using air conditioning. Open windows on opposite sides of the house to create crossventilation. Use a window fan, blowing toward the outside, to pull cool air in through other windows and to push hot air out. As the day warms, you may find that you feel more comfortable with windows and coverings closed against direct sunlight.

Adjust Your Schedule. On hot days, delay heat-producing tasks, such as dishwashing, baking, or doing laundry, until the cooler evening hours or early morning.

Seal It. Keep cool air in and hot air out: Caulk around window and door frames, use weather stripping on exterior doors, and have a knowledgeable contractor properly seal gaps where air can travel between the attic and your living space.

Use Fans. Use your range hood fan to remove hot air from your kitchen while cooking. The savings in your cooling costs will far outweigh the electricity use of the fan. Also, use a bath fan to remove heat and moisture generated by showers.

Lighten Up. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Incandescent light bulbs lose 90% of their energy as heat. CFLs operate cooler and cost you less to use because more of their energy is used to produce light, and less is lost as heat.

Shop Smart. When buying air conditioners, choose the smallest ENERGY STAR® qualified unit appropriate for the size of room you’re cooling. Oversized models can be less effective at reducing uncomfortable humidity and they cost more to operate.

Clean and Maintain. Fill gaps along the sides of your air conditioner to keep outside air from leaking in. Remember to clean air conditioner filters regularly and keep the front and back of air conditioners unobstructed.

Considering Efficient Windows? They do a great job of increasing comfort but the high purchase price is rarely paid back by energy savings. So, it's generally not advisable to replace functioning windows for energy-saving purposes alone. It’s possible to improve your functioning windows to make them perform nearly as well as new ones but at a fraction of the cost. Replace cracked panes and any cracked or missing glazing, run a bead of caulk around window frames, and use side-mount sash locks to hold windows firmly in place. If you don’t have storm windows, have them made now for installation next winter. They’ll cost far less than new, high-efficiency windows.

Take Advantage of Warm Days. Summer is a great time to make energy-saving home improvements. These improvements can reduce both cooling and heating costs and make your home more comfortable year-round. A Home Performance with ENERGY STAR contractor can find and fix the causes of high energy bills, uncomfortably hot and/or cold rooms, moisture problems, ice dams, and more. To learn more and to find a contractor near you, visit
www.efficiencyvermont.com/homeperformance.