10 Ways to Reduce Energy Consumption During the Warm Months

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Want to save money this spring and summer? Here are just a few things you can do around the home to hold onto your hard-earned cash or at least have more of it to spend on backyard parties and camping!

1. Use a clothesline.

Dryer usage makes up a large portion of your electric bill each month. On nice days use a clothesline instead and you'll save a bundle on your next bill. It could even be enough to offset the cost of running your air conditioner this season.

2. Use fans instead of AC.

Don't be so quick to turn on the AC. Some days you can get by with just using fans to lower the temperature in the rooms you are using. Install ceiling fans or purchase floor fans. Be sure to change the direction of ceiling fans to counter-clockwise (while looking up at them) so they push the warm air down.

3. Adjust the AC temperature.

Set your AC to a temperature that you can comfortably live with without making it like the North Pole in your home. If you're having to bundle up ... it's too cold. And it can be a big adjustment for your body every time you come in and out of the house. Instead, wear light clothes, drink cool drinks, have a freezie, run in the sprinkler, sleep with lighter blankets.

Set your thermostat to a slightly higher temperature if you're out at work all day (keeping pets in mind of course) and lower it slightly a few hours before bedtime for a comfortable sleep.

4. Insulate.

Make sure any drafts are addressed so that your air conditioning is not literally going out the window, use foam insulation around windows and doors, put baby-proofing plugs in your outlets.

5. Clean vents.

Vacuum and wipe down your vents to ensure your air conditioner is not working harder than it has to.

6. Adjust vents.

Partially close vents in rooms that don't require as much cooling, such as the basement. This will redirect the cold air to the other rooms that need it more.

7. Shut lights off.

When the sun is shining bright and you can see well without them, make sure to turn out any lights to both reduce energy and prevent their slight warming effect.

8. Close curtains.

If you have a sun-facing window, draw your curtains to keep some of the heat out when you're not using that room.

9. Reduce oven use.

Whenever possible, cook your meals using the stove-top, a slow cooker or even the barbecue to avoid adding even more heat to your home.

10. Get outside.

Enjoy the outdoors while the weather is nice. You'll make memories to last and automatically keep everything at home at bare minimum usage.

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