The summer’s first triple-digit heat wave is headed our way. As temperatures rise in the Carolinas, so can home energy usage. But there are ways to beat the heat without wearing out your wallet. Progress Energy encourages customers to take SMART, simple steps to lower their summer energy consumption.

Being smart about energy usage is simple. Just remember the acronym SMART.

S -- Set the thermostat on the highest comfortable setting.
M -- Move air in occupied rooms by using ceiling fans.
A -- Adjust your water heater.
R -- Repair "hot spots."
T -- Turn on the outdoor grill.

Set the thermostat higher. When temperatures rise, air conditioners have to work harder. The air conditioner unit is typically the largest user of electricity in your home. Set the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher to maximize energy savings. Every degree the thermostat is set above 78 can save you 3-5 percent on cooling costs. Also, making the switch from a manual to a programmable thermostat could lead to energy cost savings of up to $180 per year.
Move air with a ceiling fan. A fan's gentle breeze can help you feel several degrees cooler for a fraction of the cost of running an air conditioner. But remember -- fans cool people, not rooms. Be sure to turn the fan off when leaving the room.
Adjust the water heater before leaving town. There's no need to heat unused water. Plus, once turned back on, most models will reheat the water to the set temperature in about an hour. When at home, decreasing the water heater temperature from 140 degrees to 120 degrees can help save up to $85 per year. A setting of 120 degrees is sufficient for most household needs.
Repair "hot spots." High-performance windows can help to eliminate "hot spots" within the home. Installing energy-efficient windows can also help protect upholstery, wood and art from ultraviolet rays -- keeping these items from fading while saving energy. Visit www.progress-energy.com/heip to find out how to receive a rebate of up to $450 on window upgrades through the Home Energy Improvement Program.
Turn on the outdoor grill. Using the oven on a hot summer day forces your air-conditioning unit to work harder, which can lead to higher electric bills. Choose to grill outdoors instead of bake and savor the sweet taste of energy savings.
A few other common-sense actions can help save energy use while keeping you comfortable:

Be sure air conditioning system registers and returns are not blocked by drapes or furniture.
Check your A/C system’s filters and replace if clogged or dirty. A clogged filter can cause your system to work much harder, adding up to 20 percent to your energy bill.
Close the curtains, shades or drapes on windows that let in the sun’s rays.
Turn lights off when they’re not needed, and switch from incandescent bulbs to compact-fluorescent bulbs to save money and energy. CFLs also put out less heat, so they won’t further stress your cooling system.
These are just a few of the many things customers can do to use electricity wisely this summer. To discover more energy-saving tips, visit www.SaveTheWatts.com. For a more comprehensive assessment of how you can save energy in your home, visit www.progressCHER.com and we will guide you through a home energy audit. You will receive a customized report identifying savings opportunities and helping you determine if you may be eligible for Progress Energy’s energy efficiency rebate programs.

Customers may also sign up to receive "Beat the Heat" summer energy-efficiency tips from the EnergyAdvisors, a new, free service that Progress Energy is making available through Twitter. Followers of this account will receive regular tweets throughout the summer that include practical ways they can save energy and save money on their energy bills. Twitter users can sign up to follow Progress Energy's EnergyAdvisors program at www.twitter.com/EnergyAdvisors. Customers can follow the company's corporate account at www.twitter.com/ProgressEnergy.

Energy efficiency is not just for adults. Help make your kids aware of the energy they are using with our online, interactive education program Energy Efficiency World. Visit http://progress-energy.com/shared/eew/index.html.

Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN), headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 500 energy company with more than 22,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual revenues. Progress Energy includes two major electric utilities that serve approximately 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. The company has earned the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Award, the industry's highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence, and was the first utility to receive the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder's Award for customer service. The company is pursuing a balanced strategy for a secure energy future, which includes aggressive energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system.  Progress Energy celebrated a century of service in 2008. Visit the company’s Web site at www.progress-energy.com.