It's summer and the temperature is rising. But that doesn't mean your energy bill has to rise with it. There are plenty of ways to stay cool in hot weather while keeping your electricity costs — and your impact on the environment — down. Here are some simple energy-saving tips to help you enjoy your summer.
Tips for keeping your house cool
No one wants to live in a hot, muggy house, but you can keep your house cool without blasting the air conditioning. Beat the heat with these helpful ideas:
- Hot air out, cool air in. Close your blinds and windows during hot days to keep the sun's heat out of your house. You can open your windows after dark to let in the cool night air.
- When planting a garden, take the seasons into account. Deciduous trees and plants (ones that lose all of their leaves for part of the year) are a great way to shield your home from the hot sun. Plant them on the south side of your house to keep it in the shade during summer. You can also block your sun-exposed windows with bushes and shrubs.
- Insulate your attic. Your attic can get hot in the summer, and insulating it can protect your home from excessive heat.
- Choose ENERGY STAR® appliances and electronics. A new ENERGY STAR® washing machine will pay for itself in a year or two by using nearly half the energy of a standard one.
- Use a swamp cooler. Also called an "evaporative cooler," it uses only one-tenth to one-fourth as much energy as refrigeration air conditioning and is much cheaper to buy.
Tips for keeping yourself cool
You don't need to stand in front of the open fridge to stay comfortable this summer. Try some of these tips to cool yourself down without using electricity:
- Wear cool clothes. Cotton or other natural fibers, like bamboo, will keep you cooler than many synthetics. Wear loose-fitting clothing, preferably of a light color.
- Cold showers can be refreshing. Take baths or showers with cool or tepid water to cool yourself down. Save even more money with a low-flow showerhead.
- Eat light in the summer. Lighter summer food, like cold fruit or salads, tastes great in hot weather. You'll save yourself the heat and the energy of cooking on a hot stove.
- Drink more water. It's important to drink lots of water on hot days. Buy a water filter for your tap and a reusable bottle. This will save your wallet (and landfill) from wasteful plastic water bottles.
- Get out of the house. Spend parts of the day out at the public library, a shopping mall, movie theater, or other public space that's cool.
Other summer tips to save energy
Focusing on the environment can help you save money and live better year round. Here are some more tips to try this summer:
- Dry laundry outside. Summer is a great time to start using a clothesline; your clothes will dry quickly in the sun.
- Wash your clothes in cold water. Detergents like Tide® Coldwater will help you save up to 80 percent per load.
- Use squiggly bulbs. Also known as compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), these energy-saving bulbs last longer and save you money. Summer is a great time to install them because they emit less heat than regular incandescent light bulbs.
- Adjust automatic lights. Longer days mean shorter nights. Make sure you take this into account when setting light timers.
Try some of these tips this summer and share them with your friends and family. Looking for more energy-saving practices for warm weather? Check out some of these links:
U.S. Department of Energy
Alliance to Save Energy
ENERGY STAR®
