Xcel offers 'common sense' tips to save money during extreme heat - 9News

Xcel Energy is offering tips for customers to save on their bills ahead of a heat wave in Colorado.

DENVER — A heat wave is heading toward Colorado's Front Range this week, and Xcel Energy is offering tips for customers to save on their bills during the extreme heat. 

The tips are not groundbreaking. Most of the advice is common sense, but Xcel has its own reasons for lowering energy use during the heat. 

The tips include turning off lights when you are not using them, replacing light bulbs with LEDs and not using appliances during the day. Xcel's advice is not just to help customers save money. It is also meant to ease the strain on the power grid and encourage less energy use. 

Xcel recommends installing a programmable thermostat that sets the temperature high when the house is empty and cools the home when people return. Other tips include using fans to cool your home, opening interior doors to improve circulation of cool air, using a whole-house or attic fan and closing drapes and blinds during the day.

9NEWS talked to families cooling down at the splash pad at Centennial Center Park on Tuesday. They had another idea to save money during the heat: Use other people's electricity to stay cool. 

"You could take your kids to the library, where they already have air conditioning," Jeremy Paxton said.

"We might go to Monkey Business or go to the library," Coren Autry told 9NEWS.

Xcel charges the most for electricity from 3-7 p.m. That is usually the hottest time of the day and when the company wants to ease the grid.  

Time of use rates

• Off-Peak (18 hours – 7 p.m.-1 p.m.) - $0.12/kWh 
• Mid-Peak (2 hours – 1-3 p.m.) - $0.22/kWh 
• On-Peak (4 hours – 3-7 p.m.) - $0.32/kWh 
• Residential Opt-Out - $0.16/kWh

What about that tip to turn off lights when you're not using them?

"My dad drilled it into me since I was young,” Paxton said.

Xcel may issue an Energy Action Day later this week. The company issues these days when extreme weather puts too much stress on the energy grid. Xcel will likely send out similar tips to customers' emails like setting your lights on timers, delaying the usage of large appliances and pre-cooling your home.

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