HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – As the first day of Fall offically kicks this afternoon, Michigan has been struck by a heatwave.
Temperatures will climb into the upper 80’s throuch Monday, September 22. Consumers Energy says they are prepared for the unseasonable hot and humid weather occurring over the next several days, and is offering cooling tip reminders for customers to stay cool, save energy and money through the weekend:
- KEEP A/C CLEAN. Clean the air conditioner filter regularly and remove leaves and debris from central air conditioners to provide unobstructed air flow.
- SET THERMOSTAT. Set the air conditioning thermostat to 78 degrees during the day when you’re home and higher when you’re away, to save energy and money.
- TIME DEVICE. Set programmable thermostat that starts your air conditioner shortly before you get home.
- UTILIZE FANS. Use an attic or ceiling fan: hot air trapped in stuffy attics sinks into rooms below adding to cooling costs; and ceiling fans cool fast and cost less than A/C.
- COOL PEOPLE, NOT ROOMS. Have your A/C cool people, not rooms. Close doors and registers to unused areas.
- BLOCK THE SUN. Close drapes, shades and blinds during the hottest hours of the day.
- AVOID HOT APPLIANCE USE. Avoid using appliances that generate a lot of heat such as stoves and clothes dryers.
The energy provider also asks that residents check on their most vulnerable neighbors.Fall will officially start at 4:02 p.m. On this day, both day and night are equal, with 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark.
In the event of a power outage, you can reach Consumers Ed 24/7 at 1-800-477-5050 or online. Business customers can sign up for text alerts by texting REG to 232273 (CECARE) and providing their account number when prompted. Additional storm and outage alerts are available online from the Consumers Energy outage center.
