Consumer Alert: Don't Sweat Summer Utility Bills

LITTLE ROCK (Arkansas Attorney General's Office) - As temperatures rise, so do utility bills for many Arkansans who rely on air conditioning to keep them cool during the hot summer months.

The cost of cooling a home is one of the single largest utility expenses. In Arkansas, a survey of residential electricity consumption determined that cooling a home accounted for about one-fourth of annual costs.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways that Arkansas consumers can stay cool and save money on their utility bills. Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert today with advice on how Arkansans can lower utility bills during the hot summer months.

Its almost as difficult to handle the triple-digit utility bills as it is the triple-digit temperatures we experience during a typical Arkansas summer, McDaniel said. Obviously, utility costs will be higher than normal during periods of extreme heat, but there are some effective and inexpensive ways to save money and keep the house at a comfortable temperature, too.

Think about buying reflective window coatings to help keep sunlight from adding heat to the home, since more than 40 percent of the heat that builds up in a home enters through the windows.

Set the thermostat no lower than 78 degrees while at home. When away from home, set it at least five degrees warmer. (Consumers reduce cooling costs an average of 3 to 5 percent for every degree higher on the thermostat).

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Consumer Alert: Don't Sweat Summer Utility Bills