When the mercury rises, so do electricity bills in many homes. There are ways, however, to stay cool this summer and still save on energy costs. Dave Walton, the director of home ideas for Direct Energy, offers these suggestions to beat the heat and lower your energy bills:
• Use ceiling fans to circulate cool air. Fan blades should operate in a counter-clockwise direction to move the cool air down and maximize air circulation, easing the burden on the air conditioner.
• Close curtains or blinds on windows that receive direct sunlight to keep heat out of the house.
• Close vents in unused rooms and shut the doors. Don’t lose money cooling rooms that aren’t in use.
• Have a qualified professional perform maintenance on your air conditioner before the hot weather arrives to ensure it is operating efficiently.
• Install a programmable or learning thermostat and set the schedule to only cool down the house when you’re at home. Consider setting the air conditioner to turn off while you’re sleeping to save even more.
More energy saving tips are available at www.davescorner.ca.