GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Peak summer rates are back this year in Michigan for those who get their power from Consumer's Energy. That means between the hours of 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday energy will cost about 1.5 times what it would during "off-peak" hours.
That cost difference is to encourage customers to use less energy during the peak hours. However, Consumer's also says many customers will only notice a minor change in their bill.
That being said, there are steps that you can take to save energy this summer. Josh Paciorek from Consumer's Energy tells us there are simple ways you can save during those more expensive hours.
Let's start with adjusting the thermostat.
"Our recommendation is just adjust it even just by one degree, and see, are you still comfortable there. Like I said, one degree could save you up to 3% of your energy bill, those savings can really add up over the course of the summer," said Paciorek.
He also recommends a smart thermostat, as they can be used to program how and when your AC system runs.
Moving to other portions of the house, Paciorek says avoiding using those big appliances during peak hours can really help.
"One of the things we recommend is using appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine, they use a little bit more energy, use those during those 19 hours when electricity is a little bit cheaper to generate, and then for the five hours in the middle of the day, trying to avoid using those," he said.
Paciorek also recommends cooling your house more in the hours before peak times and then, when we hit the afternoon, let that pre-cooling take the place of running your AC. You can also prep rooms to retain this cooled air before the afternoon.
"In the afternoon when it is more sunny and the sun is shining into your home, we recommend shutting your shades, keeping the sun out. Everybody loves sunshine, but it can really make your house more warmer and that means you're going to be using your air conditioner more," he added.
Using these tips and keeping an eye on energy usage this summer can help prevent these hot days from turning into expensive ones as well!
-- Meteorologist Michael Behrens
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