Pacific Power Out With Tips To Remain Cool

With temperatures expected to climb into the 90s and several locations expected to top out well above 100 degrees, Air Conditioning will be a feature many are looking for in their homes.  But, only about 50% of Oregonians have air conditioning in their house, But Pacific Power’s Tom Gauntt said those who have the luxury should not take it for granted.  He said setting your thermostat to 78, will help the AC not work too hard, and he recommends you move that temperature up to 80 degrees when you’re not home.

“I know that also sounds concerning but, if your system is in good shape, it doesn’t take that long to cool back down. Whereas, if you’re gone for four or five, six hours, maintaining a cooler temperature when there’s no one there to benefit from it takes up a lot of energy.”

Whether you do or don’t have AC, Gauntt recommends you keep curtains and blinds closed during the day, and open windows at night when things cool off.

“Heat wave’s already upon us, but you still have time to do something like check your filters on an air conditioner to make sure any internal ductwork is not obstructed. And, you can also make sure the outside unit hasn’t had a lot of growth around it in recent weeks, as everything kind of burst into flower around here.”

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