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ST. LOUIS (Aug. 22, 2023) – As temperatures reach triple digits in the Midwest this week. Ameren is offering easy strategies to help customers lower their energy costs without sacrificing comfort or safety.   

First and foremost, it’s important to use air conditioners when temperatures are high enough to trigger excessive heat warnings. If your air conditioner is having trouble keeping up with the demand of cooling your home, you can help reduce the strain with the following measures:

Ameren’s Cool-Down Tips

1. Turn off incandescent lights – Incandescent bulbs use a lot of energy to heat the filament that turns on the light, which brings more heat into your home. Turn off any incandescent lights now or replace them with LED bulbs to save as much as $200 a year.
2. Save heat-producing tasks for the evening – Put off chores such as laundry and using the dishwasher, which make your air conditioner work harder. Depending on your rate plan and how late you wait, you can also take advantage of a lower, off-peak rate.
3. Avoid trying to “hack” your thermostat – When returning home, setting your thermostat lower than your target temperature will not cool it faster. Instead, you’ll just use unnecessary energy and money.
4. Seal your windows and doors – Check for airflow around doors and windows, which are common locations for outside air to leak in, and seal them with weatherstripping and caulk. Buying a tube of caulk is an inexpensive way to make sure your money doesn’t continue to fly out the window.
5. Close your blinds and curtains – Blocking out sunlight during the day will help keep your space cooler so your air conditioner doesn’t run as hard.

Ameren’s energy grid is strong and reliable, but if the extreme heat would cause an equipment issue resulting in outages, the company has crews ready to safely restore service to customers as quickly as possible.

If customers do not have a cool place to stay, visit a cooling center or public space for a break to help you stay safe until temperatures cool. Click to learn more about cooling centers in Missouri and Illinois.

Customers struggling to pay their energy bill should contact Ameren or a local community action agency. Visit AmerenMissouri.com/EnergyAssistance or AmerenIllinois.com/EnergyAssistance for details on the variety of programs available to help customers offset energy costs this summer.

Rebates and savings opportunities on energy-saving products are available for customers at AmerenMissouriSavings.com or AmerenIllinoisSavings.com.

About Ameren Corporation
St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric transmission and distribution service and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Missouri provides electric generation, transmission and distribution services, as well as natural gas distribution service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois operates a rate-regulated electric transmission business in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. For more information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or LinkedIn.com/company/Ameren.