Summer and hot temperatures are just around the corner so in today's Wattsmart Wednesday, we're helping you get ready.
Bianca Velasquez, Rocky Mountain Power Spokesperson, joined us with some tips.
First, if your health permits, set a smart or programmable thermostat to 78 degrees. That will lower the use.
Keep your blinds or drapes closed during the day, especially on sunny windows.
Use ceiling or portable fans to feel cooler and turn them off when you leave the room.
You can also run your ceiling fan counterclockwise to push cool air down and give you a wind-chill effect without having to crank the A/C.
Run appliances like ovens, dishwashers and dryers at night or early morning.
Consider being Wattsmart at peak hours. Rocky Mountain Power's Cool Keeper program is a good place to start to do your part to reduce community demand.
Bianca says hotter, drier summers can also mean higher wildfire risk—safety is the priority, and preparation matters.
That's why Rocky Mountain Power is strengthening the system, managing vegetation and monitoring weather conditions to reduce wildfire risk.
Enhanced Safety Settings can automatically shut off power if debris/wildlife/wind contacts lines—helping reduce ignition risk.
At your home, you can also do your part by creating defensible space, knowing evacuation routes and following local emergency management for alerts.
You can also sign up for alerts, make an outage plan and kit and plan for medical or accessibility needs including backup power if needed.
You can learn more at RockyMountainPower.net.
