Central Texas hit its highest temperatures of the year so far, creating both a safety risk in the heat and more pressure on household electric bills.
With highs near 103 degrees and a heat index of 115 on July 22, the region was dealing with dangerous weather as CBS Austin highlighted one low-effort way to limit summer energy costs: nudging the thermostat up a bit.
What's happening?
The heat was intense enough that Bobby Jones, identified by CBS Austin as the North Austin owner of Project Serve Beach at The Domain, was spraying down sand volleyball courts just to keep them playable. "That is smoking hot. Holy mackerel," Jones said.
Jones told CBS Austin that wet sand and plenty of water can help players cope with the conditions, though there is only so much relief when the sun is unrelenting. "As long as you have access to water and a watering hose and you can water down the sand and hose off between games, it is pretty good," he said.
Summer cooling can get expensive fast in Texas. ElectricRates.org says average bills run roughly $220 to $280, and in bigger homes they can rise to about $300 to $400 during July and August.
Austin Energy spokesperson Matt Mitchell said those higher costs are driven mostly by air-conditioning use. "More than 50% of energy usage in our residential customers' energy bills goes towards the HVAC systems," Mitchell said.
Why does it matter?
Using Mitchell's rule of thumb, moving a thermostat from 75 to 78 can cut cooling costs by about 3% for as long as that higher setting stays in place. As he told CBS Austin, "for every degree you raise your thermostat temperature, you're saving that percentage on your energy bill."
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What can I do?
For many households, a good starting point is Austin Energy's recommendation of 78 degrees at home and 82 degrees when the house is empty, according to CBS Austin. That will not work for every person or every home, especially for older adults, young children, or anyone with health conditions, but for many households it is a practical first step.
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