Just in time for the summer cooling season, First Choice Power is offering tips to help people save energy and money while staying cool.

"When temperatures go up, energy usage can go up, too," said Jeff Weiser, co-president of First Choice Power. "We want to share information with customers they can use to stay comfortable and save money at the same time."

10 Simple Tips for Saving Energy

• Thermostat setting: 78 is the number to remember. For each degree below the recommended setting in the summer, energy consumption increases by about 6 percent to 8 percent. Consider a programmable thermostat that raises or lowers the temperature by about 5 degrees when your home is unoccupied.


• During the day, close drapes and blinds, particularly on south-facing windows.


• Use floor and ceiling fans. Fans are more efficient than air conditioners; the average ceiling fan can make a room feel 4 degrees cooler but uses no more energy than a 100-watt light bulb.


• Weather strip and caulk leaks around windows and doors. Small leaks let cool air escape.


• Set the dishwasher to the air-dry mode to dry dishes, rather than using heat and energy to do it.


• Adding extra attic insulation will keep a home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.


• Air conditioners require regular maintenance at the start of the cooling season and periodic check-ups throughout the season.


• Clean the lint traps on dryers. Better yet, dry clothes outside on a clothesline.


• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, which use 75 percent less energy and last longer.


• And, as always, turn lights and televisions off when leaving a room.

Providing energy-saving tips and low-price energy plans is one more way First Choice Power is Simply Better, Weiser said. Read more about First Choice Power.