·        Consider setting air conditioners a few degrees warmer on hot days.  Every degree you add to your interior temperature in the summer can reduce your energy usage by up to 3 percent.
·        Close drapes or blinds on windows that receive direct sunlight.  Blocking the sun’s rays reduces the temperature in your home, which means your air conditioner has less work to do.
·        Close air conditioning registers in unused rooms and keep the doors to those rooms closed.  This will reduce the amount of energy your air conditioner will use to maintain your home’s temperature.
·        Don’t position heat-producing appliances near wall-mounted thermostats.  Doing so will make your air conditioner run longer than necessary to maintain your preferred temperature.
·        Turn off electric appliances and equipment that you do not need or are not using.
·        Postpone using major electric household appliances, such as stoves, dishwashers and clothes dryers until the cooler, evening hours.
·        Cook with the microwave instead of the oven.  Traditional ovens require far more energy than microwaves, and they produce substantial heat inside your home, making your air conditioner run longer.

Demand for electricity is expected to increase as the excessive heat and humidity
continue this week.   PJM Interconnection – the regional power pool operator – and FirstEnergy will continue to monitor conditions throughout the week and will request assistance as necessary.

·        Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).  CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and they produce less heat.  
·        If your home has an attached garage, keep your garage door closed during the hottest hours of the day.  This can reduce the amount of cool air that might escape, resulting in less work for your air conditioner.
·        Locate window air conditioning units where they will be in the shade during the hottest hours of the day.  Keeping the sun off your window air conditioner will reduce its workload and increase your energy efficiency.
·        Cook with the microwave instead of the oven.  Traditional ovens require far more energy than microwaves, and they produce substantial heat inside your home, making your air conditioner run longer.
·        Run kitchen and bath exhaust fans only as long as necessary to remove odors or steam from the room.  Leaving a fan running will pull cool air from your home, increasing its temperature.