Save Power This Summer

by Murray Anderson

Dealing with summer’s heat and humidity can really make your energy bill go up. Finding ways to save on your energy consumption these hot months will save you dollars while helping minimize the amount of power needing to be produced. Here’s some ideas on ways you can save power in your home this summer.

Keep the Heat Out

• On hot days, draw or close blinds and curtains on windows that face the sun. If the sun can’t get in, it can’t heat inside your home.  If you can’t stand the thought of not seeing the sun, consider installing an awning to block out the direct sun but still allow lots of light into your home.
• Consider your insulation. Check that your attic insulation is sufficient, (R-40 is recommended). The temperature in your attic during the heat of the day can be well over 120 degrees and if you don’t have sufficient insulation, that heat will work it’s way right down into your house. 
• Still in your attic, ensure there is ventilation under your roof. The soffits need to be clear (not blocked even by insulation) to allow air to circulate underneath the roof.
• Air vents cut into your roof will ensure hot air can escape out rather than go down into your home (hot air rises). Some jurisdictions require these vents by code, but if they aren’t required in your area, they’re a good investment.

Keep The Cool In

• Check the caulking and weather stripping around your windows and doors. Any cracked caulking or missing weather strip should be replaced so the cooler air in.  We usually think about caulking and weather stripping as ways to keep cold air out during the winter, but they work just as well at keeping hot air outside during the summer.
• Ceiling fans help circulate the air in a room and lower temperatures by up to 10 degrees (the moving air also makes you feel cooler). Fans don’t use as much power as air conditioners and HVAC units so you’ll save power (and money).
• Leaving your furnace fan running will also help keep the air circulating in your home making it feel cooler.
• Room dehumidifiers will make your home more comfortable. High humidity makes you feel clammy and sticky, so removing humidity makes your home feel more comfortable.

Outside

• If you can’t stand the thought of going through a summer without an air conditioner, get the most energy efficient one you can. SEER ratings (seasonal rating efficiency ratio) are a good way to determine energy efficiency of air conditioners. The higher the SEER rating the more energy efficient the unit.
• Choose the proper sized unit for the area you are cooling. Choosing a unit larger than required may sound like a good idea, but you will actually be wasting power and the larger unit could actually cool the area before it’s had time to remove the humidity – so you’ll feel cold and clammy.
• Place your air conditioner(s) where it won’t be in direct sunlight. Central air units work best when installed in shady area and window units in south or north facing walls.

Murray Anderson is an experienced freelance writer. His work has covered a wide range of topics, but he specializes in home maintenance and how to have. He has more than 500 articles published on the web, as well as print magazines and newspapers in both the United States and Canada.

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