Have your air conditioning system inspected by a qualified contractor to be certain it is operating at peak efficiency. Use a programmable thermostat that's specifically designed for your system. If you have central air conditioning, keep your thermostat at 78 degrees. Get rid of hot air. Use an exhaust fan to blow hot air out of your kitchen while you're cooking. Close blinds, drapes and shades during the hottest part of the day. This keeps the strong sunlight from heating your home. Use your microwave or countertop appliances for cooking instead of the oven or stove. Postpone laundry and dishwashing until nighttime to avoid generating extra heat in your home. Also, consider taking advantage of the warmer air and dry your laundry outside. Turn off those silent energy users such as the stereo, VCR, computer, fax and scanner, or set them to automatically.

BGE is fully committed to helping our customers use less energy and save more money. We offer a number of ways to help customers learn more about energy efficiency - and we often sponsor discounts or rebates to encourage the purchase of lighting, appliances and some of the many other products that have earned the ENERGY STAR®.