The summertime can be an expensive period for those of us who have to pay the bills! You need a fan on at all times at the very least, when you cook the kitchen warms up 10 times more than ever before, and even taking showers can get much more pricey! But that’s what we’re here to help with. Saving energy during the summer doesn’t need to be all that hard to do, and with the tips below we’ll prove it!
Place Your Cooling Devices Strategically
If you don’t have any aircon to make good use of, you can still achieve a good effect with fans. You’ve just got to place and aim them right, and even use ice cubes to make the air they blow feel even cooler. Get a bowl, tip cubes into it, and place the concoction in front of any fan you like and voila, homemade aircon! So make sure you’re standing fans behind where you’re sitting, lying, or working and try to aim them downwards, rather than straight at you. You want the cool air (which tends to sink) to be pushed up and out.
Use Intimate Lighting Only
Sure, when the sun goes down you’ll need to switch the bulbs on. But the more lights you have on, the warmer your home is. It’s why so many homeowners are now switching the way they use home lighting and going for much more intimate setups. Small sconces on a couple of walls, or a table lamp that’s good enough for reading a book with – it all works out much cheaper! Turn off the overheads, switch to LED bulbs, and keep things dim and cool.
Have More BBQs
If you’re sick of the kitchen overheating on you, get outside! Get a BBQ together (you can buy permanent versions for only $30) and cook outside on a more regular basis. Not only will this be fun for the whole family, but it saves you from having to sweat your own body weight out in front of a stove. You’re outside where the breeze can hit you, you’re enjoying the good weather, and the kids are running around and having a laugh – what could be better?!
Set Some New Appliance Rules
Finally, set some rules to ensure you’re using the appliances in your home selectively during the summer. Forego the use of the tumble dryer altogether and simply hang your washing out. Only set the dishwasher or washing machine to work at night, when access to the energy grid is cheaper. And wash on cooler settings overall – this works out cheaper for the bills as it doesn’t take as much water. Now you can have longer, cooler showers when the sun is blazing outside!
Saving energy during the summer period can feel impossible – it’s hot and humid and you need things to cool down! But if you’re careful with the way you use energy, you’ll see less of a dip in your bank account.