For the past week, Anson County and other areas of North Carolina have experienced oppressive heat with record highs and heat indices well over 100 degrees Farenheit. There is no end in sight, according to the National Weather Service.
At 7:04 p.m. Monday, Anson County was included in a Hazardous Weather Statement issued by the National Weather Service. The statement reads: “Days two through seven: Tuesday through Sunday … Heat indices of 100-103 degrees are expected south and east of the Triad Tuesday afternoon. Heat indices approaching 100 degrees are expected each afternoon through Friday.”
Severe thunderstorms are also expected during the afternoon and evening hours each day this week.
Forecast highs will remain in the 90s throughout the week, with a slight break expected on Monday, when the high will be 88 degrees.
People working outside are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day and take appropriate precautions to avoid heat exhaustion.
Local electric companies, Pee Dee Electric Membership Cooperative and Duke Energy, are also sharing information to help customers keep cool but also keep their energy costs down.
“One thing we constantly focus on at Pee Dee Electric is encouraging our members to monitor their energy use through our online Customer Service Portal, where members can see how much energy they are using at different times throughout the day,” said Ashley Haynes, communications specialist for Pee Dee EMC. “This knowledge alone prepares our members to take steps to conserve energy where they can.”
Pee Dee EMC provided the following tips to help keep energy costs down during this heat wave:
Keep the Heat Out
– Add weather stripping around doors and windows. This helps seal your home, preventing hot air from infiltrating while keeping cool air inside.
– Caulk and seal around plumbing openings. Small gaps and openings around plumbing penetrations often go unnoticed, but they have the same effect as a hole in the wall. Sealing these openings blocks hot air from the outside and keeps cool air inside.
– Keep sunlight out. Close your blinds, shades, drapes and curtains during the warmest parts of the day, particularly on the sunny side of your home. This will help keep your home cooler, reducing the workload on your AC unit.
Minimize Heat Generation
– Save heat-generating tasks for cooler times of the day. Tasks like dishwashing, cooking, and washing clothes generate a lot of heat. Avoid doing these things during the hottest parts of the day; wait for the cooler periods at night or in the early morning.
– Turn off unused electronics. Things like TV’s and computer monitors, if left on, consume unnecessary energy and generate heat. Using smart power strips, which turn things off for you, can help reduce this wasted electricity.
– Turn off unnecessary lights. Lightbulbs generate heat when they are turned on. Turning lights off and using desktop or task lamps rather than overhead lighting when possible can help keep rooms cool.
– Use energy-efficient lighting. Incandescent bulbs are inherently inefficient, expelling 90 percent of their energy as heat. Using efficient alternatives such as CFLs or LEDs will reduce the heat generated by lighting.
Optimize AC Use and Ventilation
– Turn your thermostat up during the day. Turning a thermostat up during the day can mean large savings and help you avoid peak charges. If you have a programmable thermostat or an AC timer, set it to start cooling no more than 30 minutes before your expected return home – and when you’re home, set the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher.
– Keep vents clear and open. Make sure that things like furniture and curtains are not blocking air vents; blocked vents can put extra strain on AC unit and interrupt the delivery of cool air. Also verify that vents are open in the rooms being cooled.
– Check air-conditioner air filters regularly. Dirty air filters restrict airflow and cause your AC to run longer than necessary. Check filters every 30 days during cooling season, and replace them if they are dirty or degraded.
– Seal your ducts. If you have ductwork connecting your air conditioning unit to vents throughout your home, a lot of cool air can be lost through gaps and cracks, particularly at the seams. These gaps can be sealed with metal-backed tape or duct sealant.
– Close all windows and doors when the AC is running. Otherwise, cool air will rush out of the opening, wasting huge amounts of energy and putting a heavy load on your air conditioner.
– Make use of fans. The air moving across your skin has a cooling effect, allowing you to increase your overall thermostat setting. Standing fans and desk fans can cool small areas, and ceiling fans can make a difference in larger spaces. Just make sure any ceiling fans are blowing the air downward to get the best results.
– Speaking of fans… fans do NOT cool a room, instead they only move existing air around, so make sure to turn all fans, including ceiling fans OFF if you’re not going to be in the room for an extended period of time.
Duke Energy also offered these tips to help customers save on energy costs without spending much money:
- Set your thermostat to the highest comfortable setting. Energy used to cool a home during summer can account for half of a monthly electric bill. Adjusting your thermostat to 76 degrees from 73 degrees saves more than 15 percent in electricity costs. If leaving for the day, turn the setting up a few degrees.
- Change your air filters regularly. A dirty air filter can make a cooling system work harder, which uses more energy.
- Make sure your HVAC system is ready to keep you cool by having it checked by a qualified heating and air conditioning contractor.
- Close blinds, drapes and shades during the hottest part of the day to keep the sun’s rays from heating the inside of your home.
- Turn off unnecessary lights, and use energy-efficient light bulbs that use less electricity and emit less heat.
- Seal air leaks with caulking and weather stripping, and minimize door traffic to keep cool air inside.