Energy Saving Tips for Summer
The United States and Canada have had some of the hottest summers on record in the last few years. Hot summer days are not only bad for the environment, but they can also be bad for your wallet. Your home’s heating and cooling system are by far the biggest part of your energy bill. Between June and September, you’ll spend the most on electricity. This is because your air conditioner is continually running.
You don’t have to sweat it out in the summer heat just to save a few dollars. Summer electricity savings keep the warmth and your checkbook cool.
Oh, summer: cookouts, camping, outdoor concerts, and a break from high energy bills, right? No, not really. Even the most frugal Americans and Canadians are using air conditioners.
Climate change generates more heat waves, raising summer energy costs. Formerly temperate summer regions now set daily temperature records. We’re thinking about Portland, Seattle, and BC. After a few weeks of days that reach 100 degrees, you may have decided to put in central air conditioning.
Too much heat is more than just uncomfortable. It might also be bad for your health. Heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and mortality may result from extreme heat. People with high blood pressure, respiratory issues, or diabetes are at greater risk. In fact, more people die from heat than from any other weather event. That’s worse than floods, tornadoes, or storms.
Energy-saving tips for summer
Don’t open the windows.
Even though it gets hot in the summer, people in some places are used to cold weather, and their homes are built to keep them warm. Because of this, our homes can get too hot, and opening a window is often the first thing we want to do. But opening your window could make the problem worse because it lets more warm air into your house.
When it’s hot outside, keep the windows closed and use blinds or curtains to block direct sunlight. Then, when it gets cooler at night, open your windows to let cool air into your home and help it move around. This may save electricity since you’ll need less air conditioning or fans to cool down.
Pro tip takeaway: Insulation can help keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It keeps the outside from getting in and helps you keep your ideal temperature. This could make you less dependent on things like fans and save you money on energy.
Turn off appliances that are on standby.
Leave your appliances off to conserve electricity. If you turn off all of your appliances, you could save up to £35 on your annual energy bill. TVs, speakers, toasters, and kettles utilize “phantom power” when in standby mode.
Also, appliances give off the heat if they aren’t turned off all the way. Turn them off to keep your house cool when it’s hot outside. Visit our guide on how to make your appliances use less energy to learn more about how you can do this.
Use the fans well.
During the summer, people tend to use fans a lot more, which can have an effect on how much energy you use. But you can stop this from happening if you make sure to use them to their fullest. For instance, you can put your fans on the floor so that they move the cooler air instead of the warm air that has risen.
Leave the dryer out of it.
If you don’t want to use a dryer, you can use a clothes hose and let the heat dry your clothes naturally. This is a great way to save energy and maybe even get your bills lower. If you have a garden, you may use a clothesline to dry your clothing while you sunbathe.
LED light bulbs should be bought.
LEDs are great for saving energy because they only use a small amount of power and don’t give off much heat. They can save you about £40 a year on your electricity bill, according to estimates. Also, LEDs are made to last a long time, so you could save money on replacement costs. Contact Smart Remodeling LLC for more tips on how to choose lights that use less energy.
Pro tip takeaway: In the summer, the sun is out for a lot longer, so you can use less lighting in your home. There’s another chance to save energy!
Use water in a smart way
The Energy Saving Trust claims heating water accounts for 20% of the annual heating cost. Set the temperature lower and take brief showers instead of baths to save money on hot water. Your clothes could also be washed at a lower temperature.
If you want to cut down on your overall household costs, you should also try to use water more efficiently. With a few simple changes, you could save money on your water bill.
Get Smart Devices Fitted
You have more control over how much energy you use when you have smart meters and smart thermostats. Smart meters can tell you how much energy you use and help you figure out what your bills mean. They also give you more accurate readings from your meter, so you only pay for the energy you use. Talk to your energy company to see if you can get a smart meter installed.
Give some light
If you’ve ever been in the shade of a tree on a hot day, you know how cool it can feel. On the hottest days, keeping your house in the shade can do the same thing. Your energy costs can go down by 30% if you plant at least three shrubs and trees in the right places. At least try to get some shade over your air conditioner.
Dine out
During the summer, you don’t want to be in a hot kitchen. During a heat wave, forget about baking a lasagna or making a meal in a sheet pan.
Stove or oven use may boost kitchen temperature by 10°F, making A/C work harder.
Summer is the time for cookouts. Use your outdoor grill to cook meals so the heat stays outside. If you’d rather stay inside, you can use a microwave or slow cooker, which doesn’t heat up the kitchen. Or, make meals out of cold foods or serve food that doesn’t need to be cooked on a stove or in the oven.
Use a thermostat that can be set.
You can be smart about how much energy you use when you have a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat lets you chill your house before you arrive. Instead, you can set the air conditioner to turn on just before you get home. Nest thermostats cost $130 to $250 and promise to save cooling expenditures by 15%. For the average American home, that means saving between $131 and $145 a year.
Check whether your state or local provides subsidies for smart thermostats.
Get a dehumidifier that uses little energy.
Dehumidifiers reduce interior humidity in hot, humid regions. With a dehumidifier, your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard, so it uses less energy. Your air conditioner must work twice as hard to chill and remove moisture from humid air. A/C that works too hard will also break more often, which will take a long time and cost a lot of money to fix. (Bob Vila 2019)
Lock up your house.
Insulation isn’t just useful when it’s cold outside. One of the best ways to keep warm air out and cool air in is to stop air leaks. Using caulk and weather stripping can cut heating and cooling costs by up to 30%.
Sealing these leaks in your home is easy, works well, and doesn’t cost too much. Use caulk to fill in cracks and holes between things that don’t move, like between doors and window frames. Put weather-stripping around things that move, like the door and window sashes.
Attic and basement floors may have insulating gaps or be missing weather-stripping. Use foam or caulk to fill in the small cracks. If the holes are bigger, you may need to add or replace the insulation.
Are You Ready To Remodel Your House?
To get the most out of these tips for saving energy, you need to make sure that you’re on the best energy tariff.
Schedule a free energy-saving consultation to get a new energy package estimate. We can be reached at 832-808-8889 or sales@smartremodelingllc.com.
