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COLUMBIA (WACH) -- Zackery Woods works at the Peanut Man on Main Street.

Thursday Woods was serving up snacks in triple digit temps and looking for any way to stay cool.

“Basically I hope a breeze will come through and I try to stay under this umbrella," Woods says.  "I don’t have a fan or anything like that."

But after a long day in the sun, Woods looks forward to coming home to a cool house.  But with temperatures rising, officials say there are many ways to be sure your home stays cool this summer.

“About 40 to 50 percent of your electric bill comes from your heating and cooling unit, so anything you can do to make your cooling unit run more efficient will save you money in the long run,” explains SCANA spokesman Robert Yanity.

Yanity has some helpful tips on saving bucks this summer.

Keep your thermostat at 78 degrees and if you plan to go on vacation set it higher.

Take advantage of ceiling fans that way you can set your air conditioner at a higher temperature.

Check your air filters monthly and change them when needed.

Always have a professional inspect your cooling system to make sure it’s running properly.

Yanity stresses it's important to not turn off your cooling system while on vacation.

“We don't want you turning your ac off when on vacation mold, mildew and that sort of stuff builds up” adds Yanity.

But for Woods, he knows just how to beat the heat.

“Stay out of it if you can,” he says.

Check out our Weather Page for the latest forecast and severe weather updates.