Although some might argue about this statement, we all spend as much energy during summer as during winter.

Turning on cooling systems, spending time inside trying to hide from the sun, kids being on holiday wasting their time on electronic devices, …, and unfortunately, all of the listed can take its toll on your home budget. However, instead of allowing that to increase your electricity bills, you can learn the following secrets about energy saving during the summer season.

Energy saving and the use of lighting and appliances

In order to block out the sun, we usually cover the windows with blinds and curtains, which can certainly result in spending more energy on lighting than usual. But, the truth is that incandescent lights turn 85 – 90% of the electricity they consume into the heat, which causes you to spend more energy on cooling than you would. Therefore, you should switch incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs.

Not only do LED bulbs emit double less amount of heat, but also require lower wattage for operating. What is more, they’ll help you save even more money since, in comparison to regular bulbs, they are 50 times more durable and need 75% less energy to operate. Even after you start using energy saving bulbs, make sure you turn the lights on only when you really need them, use lamps whenever it’s possible and illuminate your garden with solar lights.

As water heating appliances demand a great amount of energy, you should start using these appliances more efficiently. For instance, start taking short showers instead of long baths, don’t turn on your dishwasher or washing machine until it’s entirely loaded and use outside high temperatures to air dry your clothes. Understandably, every single device can contribute to the building up of the heat in your home. Therefore, as much as you can, avoid using an oven, computer, dishwasher, hairdryer, TV, etc.

Energy saving and cooling

Although cooling systems can be expensive, you cannot live without them during the summer season. Luckily, there are ways to save both money and energy on cooling. First of all, search air conditioners for sale during the offseason in order to get a better price. If you prefer window air conditioning units, the best time to purchase them is during cooler months when sellers offer discounts with an aim to attract customers. In case you prefer central air conditioning system, you’ll have better chances for better prices in the fall and spring.

In order to get the most from your cooling system, you have to maintain it regularly. After your air conditioner filters get covered with grime, the unit requires 15% more energy to power. For this reason, you should clean the filter on regular basis and replace it when it gets delayed. Still, there are other ways to cool your house and save the energy. For example, boost the cooling effect with a ceiling fan, keep your windows open during the night and keep the blinds closed during the day.

Energy saving and thermostat operating

As much as it feels good when you walk into the house, it’s neither healthy nor energy saving to lower the thermostat temperature further than 25º. Apparently, you can cut your cooling expenses up to 3% per degree by raising the thermostat above 22º. Therefore, it’s recommended to set the thermostat to 25º at least. Because, the greater the difference between the temperatures – outdoor and indoor, the higher bills will be. Since there’s obviously no need to cool the empty house, make sure you set the thermostat to an even higher degree before you leave the house. When the weather is bad and temperature low, you’d better turn it off completely. Also, when you use the air conditioner, you shouldn’t set the thermostat at lower temperatures. In that way, you’ll only increase your expenses instead of boosting cooling effect. Due to the development of technology, you can choose between different models of thermostats nowadays. For instance, you don’t have to change the temperature manually anymore. Smart thermostats allow you to control the temperature at your home from a distance.

As you can see, you don’t need to change your lifestyle much in order to prevent receiving high bills during the summer season. However, simple caring about your energy consumption doesn’t only save our home budget, but contributes to our planet, too.

So, now that you know these three secrets about energy saving, you don’t have an excuse for being irresponsible towards it anymore.