Today was really hot, which reminds me that summer is almost here. Over here in Southern California where we don’t really have heating bills, summer always means a much higher electric bill because of air conditioning. Although I always try to tough it out by not turning the A/C unit on, I think I will do it more often this year because I don’t want my wife to suffer with me.
So while I figure out how to save more energy and thus more money, here are some tips to get started.
Open The Window
This is a no brainer but I’m always amazed at how few people do this. In cooler mornings, open the windows and maybe even the door. Make sure that there’s a way for wind to come in the house one way and out the other for a good breeze. Once the house cools down in the morning, it will spend much less energy cooling it down in the afternoon even if we have to turn on the air conditioner.
Keep Yourself Cool
We don’t need any outside help if we feel cool already. To do so, we first should stay hydrated so store a bunch of cold water in the fridge. Popsicles are also an inexpensive way to stay cool and hydrated. For meals, eat more fruits and vegetables.
Turn Off Unused Electronics
Those appliances like TVs, DVD players, and Nintendo Wii consoles that stay plugged in are drawing power even if they aren’t turned on. One easy way to turn everything on and off is to plug all these devices into a power strip and just turn off the power strip when it isn’t used while we go to work. The only thing that will be gone is the clock that’s on our cable box but we won’t need it since we will be at work anyway.
Keep the Heat Out of the House
Cooking and using the microwave can really increase heat in our house. As a matter of fact, I always feel hot after I cook or use the laundry. During the summer, try to only do laundry or use the dishwasher during night time or early morning when it is cool. A night outside with the barbecue is also a great idea because it keeps the heat outside. Also try not to open the fridge door often. The more it is opened, the easier it is for heat to raise the temperature, causing the fridge to use energy to cool it back down.
Go Out and Have Fun
Lastly, summer is about going outdoors. There are plenty to do outside and I encourage everyone to go out and enjoy the sun. One of the nice activities in the summer is swimming. Not only are you getting a great exercise, you are also having fun and staying cool.
With these tips, hopefully we can all conserve some energy and save some money this summer. Do you have more ways to conserve energy for the rest of us? Share with us.
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Good post. Don’t forget the old standby fans in various rooms. They cost much less to run than the A/C and help a good bit.
Here in the UK its all about keeping the heat in – good insulation conserves energy. Glad to see an environmental issue with solutions here.
Great suggestions M.N. Opening the windows at night and letting the breeze cool off your home could help tremendously in cutting electricity consumtion.
Another tip/trick might be to not turn on all the light in the room. You might have noticed that as you turn on all the lights in a room, the temperature rises..
Great post David, but I think it is very hard to save money this year. The gas prices are soaring, so trying to avoid the bills at home is almost impossible =(
-Mike
Now… if only the entire world though about saving energy, we might not have such a high gas problem 😉
Ooh, I like the idea of doing laundry or dishes in the night or morning when it is cooler out. Never thought of that, but it makes perfect sense. I live in Texas where the summers are scorching, and my kitchen is teeny tiny, so it heats up fast.
Also, I remember seeing on Oprah a special on living green, where they showed different practices to save energy. One was to unplug the electronics, like you said — an expert said “leaking power,” which is used even when it is turned off, uses up a pretty decent amount of energy. People who had started unplugging while not using said they were saving a remarkable amount of money on their electricity bill. They also said switching to those CFC lightbulbs can really help — they not only last longer, but use a lot less power.