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P��� 22 APS SUMMER TIPS It’s getting warm out there, and we know summer heat brings higher elec- tricity bills. These quick and easy tips can help you start saving today. Tip #33 Visit the APS Energy Analyzer. In just a few minutes, you can find more easy and inexpensive things you can do to use less energy and lower your bills. The survey is fun and interactive. It guides you through your home, helps you evaluate where you use energy and provides customized suggestions on how you can reduce your energy use. It even compares your energy use with similar homes. Visit the APS Energy Analyzer at www.aps.com Tip #32 Take a day and get out of the house. Lifestyles change. Whether for you this means different work shifts, a new ���.D�����M��������.��� baby, kids out of school for the sum- mer or retirement. These are a few of the things that can affect lifestyle. They can impact the amount of time spent at home, the number of times the door is opened, the setting on the thermostat, time watching TV, lights used, amount of cooking and the number of showers. It all affects the amount of electricity that is used. What’s a quick way to make a change in that routine? Take a day to get out- side the house and enjoy a movie, or the mall, or anything that meets your fancy. Give your home’s systems a break. Tip #31 Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air con- ditioner to run longer than necessary. Also, don’t set your thermostat for a lower temperature than you really want, thinking that it will cool your home down faster. The AC will still run at the same speed, and the ending re- sult could be excessive cooling result- ing in wasted energy and increased cooling cost. Tip #30 Don’t cool down the house by leaving the refrigerator door open. We know that blast of cold air hitting your face feels good, but leaving the re- frigerator door open longer than needed just causes your fridge to work harder to keep food cold, using more energy. Arrange refrigerator shelves so you don’t have to rummage around with the door open. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Tip #29 Wrap your water heater in an insulated blanket. Wrapping your water heater in an in- sulated blanket - one costs about $10 to $20 at home centers - and could save your household a bundle. Most water heaters more than five years old are constantly losing heat and wasting energy because they lack internal insu- lation. If the surface feels warm to the touch, get your heater an extra blankie. It’ll keep the tank water warm, so less time and power are required. [Editor’s suggestion: Better yet, just urn off your water heater during the summer! ] J��� 1, 2011 Tip #28 Choose light-colored ex- terior paint, stucco, or roofing material. When making home improvements, choose lighter colors of paint, stucco, and/or roofing material to reflect heat away from your home. This keeps the interior cooler and that results in less stress on your AC. Tip #27 Be sure to repair leaky fau- cets to avoid the constant “drip” and wasting valuable water. Tip #26 Avoid using the oven as much as possible, summer is a time for BBQ. Consider limiting use of the oven to keep your kitchen cooler. Use the mi- crowave instead whenever possible and try to cook in the cooler parts of the day. When you’re using the oven, avoid opening the oven door multiple times, releasing heat and cooling down the oven. Here’s another idea, ditch the oven for a night and cook outside. Outdoor barbeques are one of the best things to do in the summertime! For more summer tips, informa- tion visit www.aps.com Watch for more tips in next issue CAN‛T FIND “THE MESSENGER”? JOIN THE THOUSANDS READING IT ONLINE! Sign up for FREE VIP alerts when the next E-edition of the DESERT MESSENGER is available @ www.DesertMessenger.com Between Dec. 30, 2010-Jan. 29,2011 there was 21,115 page views PUZZLE PAGE (page 20) ANSWERS