July 15, 2021 – When the temperature rises, so can energy bills. Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO), an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, offers 10 tips to help its customers manage both the heat and their electric bill:
1. Turn off lights and electronics when not in use.
2. Replace incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR-certified LEDs.
3. Pull the plug on devices, like phone chargers, when not in use. These still consume energy even when turned off.
4. Use smart power strips for electronics likes computers and televisions. These can sense when a device is turned off or not being used and will shut off the power automatically.
5. Close blinds and drapes during the day to keep the heat out.
6. Save up to 10% on cooling costs by increasing your thermostat's temperature setting by seven to 10 degrees Fahrenheit higher for at least eight hours a day.
7. Replace air conditioner filters. Clean filters can lower air conditioner energy consumption up to 15%.
8. Use ceiling fans to cool you while in a room. Turn the fan off when leaving.
9. Caulk, weather-strip and insulate windows and doors wherever air leaks are found.
10. Use large appliances, such as a dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer, as late in the evening as possible. These appliances add heat to a home and make an HVAC system work harder.
For more ways to save, visit SWEPCO.com/Save.
About Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO)
SWEPCO, an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, serves more than 543,000 customers in northwest and central Louisiana, northeast Texas and the Texas Panhandle, and western Arkansas. SWEPCO’s headquarters are in Shreveport, La. News releases and other information about SWEPCO can be found at SWEPCO.com. Connect with us at Facebook.com/SWEPCO, Twitter.com/SWEPCOnews, Instagram.com/swepco, Youtube.com/SWEPCOtv, LinkedIn.com/company/swepco and SWEPCOConnections.com.
About American Electric Power (AEP)
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP’s approximately 16,800 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 223,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,500 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners, and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.
