4 Smart Tactics to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient This Summer

Are you one of those who crank up the air conditioning with the slightest rise in temperature? Well, then you must also dread the thought of looking at your electricity bill at the end of every month during summer.

As global temperatures continue to soar, many regions in the world, including the US and Canada, have started experiencing intense heatwaves during summer. That, in turn, means more work for your home’s air conditioning system. And it translates to sky-high energy bills.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to minimize your home’s energy consumption during summer without compromising comfort?

Besides saving precious dollars, an energy-efficient home is also good for the environment. The less energy you consume, the more you can help alleviate environmental issues like global warming, fuel shortages, the greenhouse effect, and ozone depletion.

So, how do you reduce your home’s energy consumption without breaking a sweat? Here are a few valuable tips to get you started:

1. Check the Air Conditioning

Inefficient heating and cooling systems are the biggest contributors to expensive energy bills. Even if you’ve got a top-notch AC with advanced features, it’ll need a bit of TLC before the onset of summer.

Your best bet is to hire a professional AC repair service to check your AC for any faults and give it a thorough cleanup. Make sure you hire a company that’s familiar with the local climate in your neighborhood.

So, if you’re living in North York, Canada, look for a company that specializes in air conditioning repair in North York. Ask for referrals from friends, family members, or coworkers who’ve used AC repair services in North York. Also, don’t forget to check a company’s online reviews and ratings before hiring them.

Whichever company you hire, make sure you get them to check and clean the air vents filters. Also, ask them to inspect other parts of the cooling system, including heat pumps, evaporate coolers, coils, and fins.

2. Befriend Cold Water

So, you’re used to relying on a steady flow of hot water for daily activities, such as bathing and brushing your teeth. Also, you likely use hot water for the dishwasher and washing machine.

While hot water is a necessity during the freezing cold winter months, you can do away with it in summer. Start by using cold water to do your washing, be it the dishes or laundry. It’ll go a long way to minimize the heat a dishwasher or washing machine generates.

Also, you could consider using cold water for bathing, washing your hands, and brushing your teeth. You might need some time to get used to a cold shower in the morning. The good thing is that it’ll help you feel relaxed and refreshed on a sultry summer day.

Reducing your hot water usage will go a long way to minimize energy consumption.

3. Ditch the Dryer

You might have gotten used to the combination of a washer and dryer for cleaning your clothes. But think about it – the high temperatures and arid weather during summer could eliminate the need for a dryer altogether.

Instead, use a clothesline to hang wet clothes right after you’re done washing them. Let the natural summer heat dry your clothes. It’s a simple yet effective way to cut energy consumption and reduce your electricity bills.

4. Move the Kitchen Outdoors

Are you still using the oven in your kitchen to do most of your cooking? Well, then you’re unknowingly raising the ambient temperature of your home, forcing the air conditioning system to work harder. That, in turn, is skyrocketing your energy consumption.

The bright and breezy summer days present an ideal opportunity to fire up the grill and cook some meat and veggies. Pair that with a glass of boozy lemonade or chilled soda, and you’ve got the perfect weekend with your family.

While cooking a barbecue meal may not be possible every day, try and use the grill more often during summer. It’ll help keep the heat outside your kitchen and ultimately drive energy bills down.

Final Thoughts

Making your home energy efficient takes more than a programmable thermostat and LED bulbs. It requires a conscious lifestyle and mindset change to reduce your energy consumption and carbon footprint.

Simple habits, such as drying clothes on a clothesline instead of a dryer or taking a cold shower, could minimize your energy bills. While you’re at it, don’t forget to hire a professional AC repair service to check, clean, and repair the air conditioning system before the mercury levels jump higher.