Smart Summer Tips for Staying Cool — without Spiking Your Energy Bill

Cool Fan Facts

  • Did you know ceiling fans should spin counterclockwise in summer? That creates a wind-chill effect that makes you feel cooler.
  • Also remember, ceiling fans cool people and not rooms. Be sure to turn off ceiling fans when nobody is in the room
Ceiling Fan

Embrace the Chill of Water  

  • Keep a spray bottle of cold water in the fridge and mist your skin when it’s hot.
  • You can also soak a towel in cold water and place it around your neck or wrists — key pulse points — ­ to cool down quickly without adjusting the thermostat.
Water bottles in Fridge

Block Out the Sun

  • Keep blinds or blackout curtains closed during peak sunlight hours (usually 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • This helps keep your home cool, reducing the strain on your cooling system.

 

WANT SOME MORE SAVINGS?

Find more pro tips to help you save: myrec.coop/save

Sun blocking

REC STORIES

Meet CARE Charity Board Member: Sheryl Reid

Monday | September 15, 2025
Sheryl Reid may have been born in Iowa, but it’s Clarke County, Va., that she has called home since she was 12. Her rural roots helped shape her stron...
National 811 Day is August 11 (8/11), a great reminder to click va811.com or call 811 to check for underground utility lines every time before you dig...
Tootie Rinker may have spent much of her childhood overseas, but her roots run deep in Winchester, VA.