WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | South Carolina set to bake on high as temperatures soar

South Carolina set to bake on high as temperatures soar

(Columbia) July 25, 2005 - South Carolina officials are urging citizens to use caution this week as the state wilts under the extreme temperatures.

"Columbia will experience hotter than normal weather this week and we want everyone to be careful," said Mayor Bob Coble.

The Columbia Police Department continues to offer its Fan The Heat program to elderly and disabled citizens who do not have an air conditioner or fan in their home. Citizens can call 545-3500 for more information. In case of an emergency situation, call 911 for assistance.

When the weather gets this hot, people do everything they can to keep cool and save money. One of the biggest office debates is where to set the thermostat. In most cases, the thermostat is kept covered so people can't change the temperature. At WIS, we found the thermostat set to 75.

SCE & G recommends going higher than that, 78 degrees, if you can stand it. They say for each degree below 78, your cooling costs go up by 5-10 percent.

Some other cost-saving tips from SCE & G include checking your air filters once a month. Replace them if they are dirty so your air conditioner won't have to work so hard. Keep blinds and curtains closed during the day to prevent sunlight from getting inside your home, the main idea is to keep cool air in and warm air out.

Make sure your unit isn't blocked by leaves or plants outside. Inside, don't let furniture block the vents. If the cool air is blocked, it makes it that much tougher to cool the room.

Ceiling or floor fans are a great idea. They use very little energy and can make a room much more comfortable.

An answer to an age-old question, should you turn your thermostat up in your home during the day while your gone and then bring it back down at night? Well, according to SCE & G, when it's this hot outside, doing that won't save too much money because your A/C is pretty much going to have to run all day anyway. You'd have more savings if the temps were in the 80's.

So, until then, bring out the fans.

Posted 11:50am by Bryce Mursch