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Four ways to survive heat wave 鈥� and keep energy bills down

As America blasts its ACs and put its fans on overdrive to try to cope with the heat wave, it will use a lot of energy 鈥� which costs a lot of money. More than 40 percent of a typical home鈥檚 utility bill goes toward cooling costs.

Here are four tips for keeping energy costs down and still staying cool.

3. Rely on a fan-AC combo

  • By Patrick Wall Contributor

Good ceiling fans complement air conditioners, and they allow homeowners to raise the thermostat by about 4 degrees without sacrificing comfort levels, according to the Energy Department.

鈥淲e set our temperature at 78 degrees, and with a quiet, giant ceiling fan, we feel comfortable,鈥� Chu says. 鈥淭he combination does the trick.鈥�

On the other hand, setting the AC below 78 degrees can increase cooling costs by up to 40 percent, according to Con Edison, New York City鈥檚 energy provider.

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