As temperatures reach into the upper 90s and humidity builds this year, it's certain we've entered the dreaded Dog Days of Summer.

With sweaty Rutherford countians' soaring electric bills in mind, Middle Tennessee Electric gives a few suggestions to keeping cooler when sweltering heat arrives. 

It can be tempting to crank up the air conditioning to stay cool, but MTE says there are other steps your household can take to survive the summer while conserving energy and saving money.

Managing the thermostat and the amount of sunlight that warms your home are good places to start, but limiting when you use appliances that give off heat can also go a long way in keeping the temperature down.

MTE recommends these energy-saving tips to stay cool without breaking the bank this summer:

• Turn off any unnecessary lights. Much of the energy consumed by light bulbs is emitted as heat, driving already warm temperatures even higher and sending your thermostat into overdrive.

• Wear thin, loose-fitting clothing around the house to stay comfortable without keeping the room temperature low.

• Keep blinds, shades and curtains closed during the hottest parts of the day to prevent sunlight from heating your home.

• Run ceiling fans counterclockwise, forcing air to move straight down. Even mild air movement can make a room feel three to four degrees cooler.

• Use an outdoor grill or microwave as much as possible to keep the temperature down. Stoves and ovens can raise a kitchen’s temperature as much as 10 degrees. 

• Limit chores that produce heat and moisture, like cooking, cleaning, ironing and laundry, to the cooler early morning and evening hours as much as possible.

• Set your thermostat at the highest comfortable tempera­ture. The smaller the difference between your home’s inside temperature and the temperature outdoors, the lower your cooling costs will be.

To help members save more energy and money, MTE has a team of energy efficiency experts ready to help members manage their electric use. Go to mte.com for more information about our energy services programs or contact 877-777-9020 to speak to your trusted energy advisor.

About Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE)
Founded in 1936, MTE is the largest electric cooperative in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) region and the second largest in the United States, serving more than 600,000 Tennesseans via 310,000+ accounts covering nearly 2,200 square miles in 11 Middle Tennessee counties, primarily Rutherford, Cannon, Williamson and Wilson. Municipalities served include Murfreesboro, Franklin, Brentwood, Smyrna, Lavergne, Lebanon and Mt. Juliet. MTE employs 510 people in seven local offices and its Murfreesboro corporate headquarters.