The Tennessee Valley Authority is seeing higher than normal power demand heading into the start of fall with temperatures climbing into the 90s again this week with much higher humidity than normal across the Valley.

“Temperatures across the southeast are 8-10 degrees above normal, so we encourage you to continue using the summer energy saving tips while we wait for those fall temperatures to arrive,” said Greg Henrich, general manager, TVA Balancing Authority and Resource Operations.   

The Tennessee Valley Authority and local power company are ready to keep power flowing, but there are some things the public can do to gain energy efficiency and lessen the impact of future electric bills.

Crank it up—Setting a thermostat just one degree higher can save up to 3 percent on the power bill. A setting of around 75 degrees is the “sweet spot” to maximize savings.

Don’t “yo-yo” your thermostat—Keep the thermostat changes to 2 or 3 degree adjustments no more than once every four hours. Constantly turning the thermostat way up during the day and then way down when you get home forces the unit to work harder than needed, costing more money. 

It’s curtains for you—Or maybe blinds, but try to cover windows on the south and west sides of the home in order to block sunlight during the warmest parts of the day. 

Get out of the kitchen—It is the perfect time for grilling outside, which keeps the heat from cooking the inside of the home. 

Or use that microwave—It will cook food faster, and keep the kitchen cooler than stovetop or oven cooking would.

Keep things clean—Keeping air filters clean will allow air conditioner to work more efficiently. Change them regularly, too. Clogged filters will make your AC system work harder.

Seal it up—Caulk around windows and doors to seal the cool air in and keep the heat out. Likewise replace cracked seals around refrigerators or freezers.

Take a cold shower—Not only will it feel good this time of year, it will save on unnecessary water heating costs.

Plant a tree or two—Shade trees on the south or southwest side of the house will add beauty and keep a house cooler.

These low-cost or no-cost, easy-to-do actions can help make an immediate difference in power use without forcing to break even more of a summer sweat. More energy-saving tips can be found at EnergyRight Solutions.

TVA and local power companies are also doing their part to ensure reliable power will be available. Less critical maintenance activities are being delayed, to ensure continued generation is available.