Limit Exhaust Fan Usage to Cut Down on Your Air Conditioning
BillS  Click to viewTemperatures are soaring and, if you use an
air conditioner, odds are so is your energy bill. Here are some
quick tips on how to use your A/C unit without burning a hole
through your pocket.  Photo by CarbonNYC.  ABC's local
Philadelphia station ran a segment that, apart from listing more
obvious tips like drawing the curtains and pulling down your
shades to keep the sun out, advises limiting kitchen, bathroom,
and other exhaust fan usage to no more than one hour when your
A/C is turned on. The reason? Just one hour of running both "can
empty the whole house." They also suggest setting the thermostat
to 74 degrees when you're at home and 78 to 80 degrees when
you're out. (Ed. note: As someone who grew up in a house where
the A/C was set to 79 when we were in, these numbers seem a
little off if you're looking to save money, but the idea is the
same: Set the thermostat higher when you're away, lower when
you're in.)  As we said, a