Extreme Heat Means Extreme Bills for Tampa Bay Area

My mother's bill jumped $160 from last month - something that she originally tried to blame on my son, for the week he was visiting, but we later suspected might be her refrigerator. Truth of the matter though? It was probably just the weather.

With temperatures climbing into the mid-to-upper 90's and rainfall being less than normal, utility bills have been steadily climbing higher throughout the Tampa Bay area. While the sun-bunnies are soaking up all those rays, so are our homes - making our air conditioning units work harder, just to maintain the same temperature that we've grown accustomed to. This significantly increases the amount of energy we're using, hence the larger bills.

According to Cherie Jacobs, of Progress Energy, "When it's about five degrees warmer than normal outside and if you live in an average home and you set your thermostat at 78 degrees, that temperature differential is going to cost you an extra two dollars a day." Doing the math, that means you're looking at an increase of $60 a month - and your air conditioning unit has to work longer and harder when you cook, or if people are entering and leaving your home, letting precious cool air out.

Many Tampa Bay residents are speaking out about the high bills but, with temperatures continuing to hold well into the 90's, there doesn't appear to be much relief in sight.

Ways to Cut Down Your Electric Bill

- Raise the temperatures: While we like to stay nice and cool during the hot summer months, we don't have to keep the house like an icebox. Setting your thermostat a couple of degrees higher will take some of the excess load off your AC unit and may shave a few pennies off your bill.

- Grill It: I don't have air where I live, so cooking out becomes a necessity during the hottest summer days - you just can't stand the thought of turning on the oven. Even if you do have air conditioning, grilling out can make a substantial difference in your monthly bill - We bought a great little grill for $20 and it's easily saved us that much in sweltering and suffering, alone!

- Utilize Ceiling Fans: They are great for circulating the air and providing an inexpensive way of cooling things down a bit. Run your ceiling fans counter clockwise during the hot days, to help cool off your living space.

- Invest in Energy Efficient Florescent Bulbs: Truth be told, I was skeptical when these first came out but, after more than a year of using the energy efficient light bulbs, I'm a firm believer. My electric bill was reduced significantly and, even better, they last much longer than average bulbs - It's nice, not having to buy bulbs every month!

- House Check: If your bill still seems outrageously high, check to see how well-insulated your home is. Leaks around doors and windows can allow precious cold air to escape and quality insulation throughout your house can help keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

- Appliance Check: If you've been getting $200 bills and they suddenly jump to $500 - Check your appliances. Quite often, this can be a sign that a major appliance, such as your central air unit, your hot water heater, or your refrigerator may be on the fritz.

- Take a Shower: When we can't escape the hot temperatures, we either take a quick dip in the pool or we hop in and out of the shower - It's a great way to cool off and usually cheaper than making the AC work harder.

- Utilize Mother Nature: In Florida, one thing we can usually count on this time of year, are our afternoon showers. We watch Mother Nature's usual routine and adjust ourselves accordingly - closing drapes and windows on the sunny side of the house and opening them after the sun passes, as well as running fans in the windows when temperatures cool down, to draw that cool air into the house. If you need it cooler still, take some ice cubes out of the fridge and set them in a dish in front of your fan - the cold air that rises off the ice will be blown towards you and help cool you down.

With more hot months ahead, it's imperative that we take steps to prepare ourselves and cut corners to save for potential high bills. Hopefully these helpful hints will assist you in cutting back on costly electric bills.