The family finally got to take that two-week summer vacation you’ve talked about. It cost quite a bit, and it was worth every penny. But, when you got home, you were surprised to see little change in your electric bill.

“How could we get a large bill if we weren’t around?” you wonder.

It’s simple. Even though you were away, some electric appliances in your home were still operating. The air conditioning kept the house nice and cool and the ceiling fans were moving the air, even though nobody was there to appreciate it. Your fridge was empty, but it stayed cool. And all those AC adapters and chargers were still plugged in, even though you weren’t using the devices attached to them.

“People forget that their electricity is still hard at work, even when they’re off playing,” explained Darrell Marks, Kankakee Valley REMC’s energy advisor. “There are several ways you can make your electric bill take a vacation, too.”

First, Darrell recommends unplugging or turning off things you won’t be using, like ceiling fans, decorative lighting, cable boxes and TVs, along with all those AC adapters for computers and smaller items. Even when you leave the house for the day, you should turn off the ceiling fans if no one is there to feel the breeze on the skin. 

“One of the best ways to save is to turn your thermostat up to 78 degrees when you’re going to be away,” Darrell adds. “You don’t need it to be cooler than that when nobody is home, and when you return, it will only take a short time for the house to cool back down. Shutting your blinds and closing drapes will keep the summer sun from making your air conditioning work harder, too. A few simple steps like these will keep your electric bill under control when you’re away.”

You can learn more about ways to save energy and money by visiting our energy saving calculators found under the “savings” tab at kvremc.com.