JACKSONVILLE, Fla — JEA state that according to weather forecasts, hot and humid conditions will make it feel like 105-110 degrees for portions of North Florida.
Matthew Defalco just moved to Jacksonville from New York and says the heat is already starting to get a bit much.
“It was nice the first month, but now it’s just really intense. It’s just too much,” Defalco said. “I don’t know if we’re gonna be able to handle it, I don’t know.”
Trying to manage summer utility costs can be challenging during this extreme heat, as more people are spending more time indoors. Nonetheless, it’s something that Jacksonville residents like Xaviers Herndon have started to get on top of.
“What I have done, even though I have a washer and dryer. In the summertime, I don’t wash at home. I go to the laundromat, because my AC is on full blast at time,” Herndon told Action News Jax on Sunday.
JEA has a number of ways that we help customers learn to conserve energy and save money during the summer months.
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Here are some tips from JEA on managing costs during the hottest months of the year.
Air Conditioning
- Air conditioning and heating systems consume about 40 – 60% of all the electricity customers use. Set your thermostat at 78° in summer, 5° to 10° higher when you leave the house.
- Change your heating and cooling system air filter every month. A dirty air filter makes your system work harder, which uses more energy.
- Run ceiling or table fans instead of lowering the air conditioning thermostat. Fans can help make you feel 2 to 3 degrees cooler. Turn them off when you leave the room.
- Shade windows that receive direct sunlight to help keep rooms cooler.
- Avoid going in and out of the home repeatedly to keep cool air in and hot air out.
- Use the washer with full loads using cold water.
- Try grilling outside, using the microwave, or cooking with a Crockpot or InstantPot instead of the stove or oven. Small appliances typically use less energy and keep the kitchen cool.
Water Conservation Tips
On average, 35-50 percent of water used for irrigation is wasted. Here are five tips for conserving water and saving money on your water bill:
- Inspect sprinkler heads. A broken one can waste 25,000 gallons of water in six months.
- Connect pipes and hoses. A small leak can waste up to 6,300 gallons of water a month.
- Direct spray to your landscape, not your sidewalk.
- Follow watering days as mandated by St. Johns River Water Management District. Learn about watering day restrictions
- Order a free JEA Water Conservation Kit for water-saving products that will help you save up to $75 a year on your water bill. Order at: jea.com/waterkit
Billing
JEA offers a variety of billing and payment options for our residential and business customers, including payment assistance. Our options include:
- MyBudget: This levelized billing program averages your past usage so your bill is about the same each month.
- Monitor usage: Customers can monitor their daily electric usage through their account on JEA.com. Also, customers can receive alerts via text or email when usage has reached a certain dollar, electric (kWh), or water (gal) amount. Register for alerts here.
- Payment Extensions: For those customers who need a little extra time to pay their bills.
- Payment Arrangements: For when customers need to pay their balance due over a longer period of time with installments.
- Access to Community Resources: We can point the way to third-party groups that offer utility bill assistance.
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