Get Fast Fixes For Saving Money On Your Electric Bill

Emily Baucum, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- With Green Country power plants running a full capacity and the threat of rolling blackouts – what's the best way to conserve energy?

Short of unplugging everything in the house - it's hard to know where to start. We caught up with an electrician who gave us some tips for fast fixes.

Jeremy Parchman of Aspen Electric took us to the kitchen for tip number one: slightly adjust the thermostat in the coldest place in the house.

"Basically I've kicked it to zero on the freezer and 38 for the refrigerator," he said. "That'll save energy by not having the refrigerator and freezer turn on as much."

Tip number two: avoid the hottest place in the house: your oven. Instead, use the microwave or the toaster oven to save $30 a year on your utility bill.

"Because you're not heating up the whole house, and it's using a lot less electricity and energy just to cook your tater tots," Parchman said.

Most people will like tip number three: never turn off the AC.

"You can't leave your air conditioner off during the day. It'll never recover and actually uses more energy," he said.

Instead, tip number four will keep your unit working longer - change the filter.

"Your air conditioner can work more efficiently. It doesn't have to work as hard," said Jeremy Parchman of Aspen Electric.

Number five - ceiling fans. Parchman has his thermostat set on 76 upstairs, but only the fans are sweating.

"I've got it down to 71 just from the fan," the electrician said.

Tip number six: invest in a cheap industrial fan and set it up downstairs.

"That's the best idea I've got in the whole house," Parchman said.

"If they have a two-story house it'll blow the cold air from downstairs to upstairs. It'll let your air conditioner not run as much."

It's also his biggest money-saving tip: this simple fan saves his family $ 65 month on air conditioning.

That's 20 percent of his utility bill.

Tip Number 7: Unplug appliances you only use once a day, like the coffee maker.

Tip Number 8: Close all the interior doors of your house to trap cold air and funnel it from room to room.