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    7 easy ways to save energy this summer (without sacrificing the A/C)

    By Valerie Rains, Shine staff | Work + Money – Tue, Jun 3, 2008 11:27 PM EDT

    Photo Credit: Getty ImagesPhoto Credit: Getty ImagesIf your idea of conserving energy during the summer months is lying very, very still on a hammock for long periods of time, I hear you. But as the prices of pretty much everything in our lives keep going up (and our salaries don't), it pays to think about conserving energy in the home, too. Here are 7 easy ways to use, and thus pay for, less energy, courtesy of Brian Keane, President of Smartpower.org, a non-profit dedicated to promoting the use of clean energy.




    1. Air-dry beach towels. Using a towel for 2 minutes to pat swimming pool water off your 8-year-old's body does not necessarily make it dirty. Think about whether a beach towel needs to be washed before you automatically dump it in the laundry, and if you do wash it, air dry the towel whenever possible. Beach towels are much thicker than regular towels and require a lot more energy to dry. Why not toss them over the porch railing to air out in the sun instead?

    2. Take shorter showers. Studies show that the average teenager spends a whopping 45 minutes in the shower. 45 minutes! Encourage your kids to cut down on their American Idol practice time, and remind your husband that men who shave in the shower are wasting water, too, to the tune of several gallons. Bottom line: If you're not actively sudsing or rinsing, turn the water off.

    3. Unplug your TV. It's probably not news to any of you at this point that all plugged-in electronics constantly suck energy even when they're "turned off," but recently, the triple threat of flat screen TVs, cable boxes, and DVR devices have officially overtaken refrigerators as the biggest energy drain in American homes. And while the fridge at least has an excuse for being plugged in all the time, the TV really does not. Plug all those devices into a power strip and turn the whole thing off when you're not watching. If you can't commit to a regular unplugging regimen, at the very least make sure the set is unplugged when you go on vacation for a week. (While you're at it, unplug computer printers, coffee makers and extra phone chargers when you're going to be gone for a few days. Don't forget to do the same at the office-just because you're not paying the bill doesn't mean you should waste the power.)

    4. Remember what I said about the refrigerator and the energy suck? The good news is, every year refrigerators are getting more energy efficient, and it's almost hard NOT to buy one with an Energy Star rating these days. The downside is that many people, upon upgrading to a better refrigerator, just move the old one to the garage and keep using it. But consider this: "There's a reason you replaced the old one-it was too small, it didn't work well, it was inefficient-so why would you keep it around?" Keane says. Think long and hard about what exactly you so desperately need to keep in deep-freeze storage. Extra ice for parties? Buy an ice chest. That 40 pounds of moose meat you ordered online from your meat-of-the-month club? I have no advice for you, other than reevaluate what's in your main freezer and check out Energy Star's Recycle My Old Fridge Campaign web site for information on responsible old-fridge disposal.

    5. Really turn off your home computer. 75% of the energy used by home computers is used when the owner thinks the computer is turned off. "Sleep" does not equal off: Learn it, love it, live it.

    6. Weather-strip your doors. "It's just as important in the summer as in the winter," Keane says. If you want to keep your air conditioning inside the house, make sure that your home's doors have the proper seals. (Bonus: weather stripping is incredibly cheap-we're talking $1.50 a roll-and as easy to apply as a piece of tape.) And of course, make sure all your windows are closed when the air conditioner's running. What are you trying to do, cool the whole neighborhood?

    7. Get your water heater checked. Schedule an appointment with your plumber (or ask him to stick around the next time he comes to fix something else) and have him check the settings on your water heater. Although many water heaters are set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, most homes only need 120 degrees for appliances to function properly. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that lowering your water temperature by ten degrees will save you 3 to 5% in energy costs (not to mention lower your risk of scalding).

    Comment Away: What are your best energy-saving tips for summer?

    More great ideas for the summer on Shine:
    Get your summer party-hosting strategy down with these helpful tips
    Freshen up your home with small, seasonal changes
    5 creative ways to disguise radiators, now that you no longer need them
    Turn wooden wine crates (you know, from those cases of rosé you're stocking up on) into cute cat beds, mini gardens, and dog bowl boosters

     

    125 comments

    • Marty K
      Marty K  •  3 months ago
      We actually had an energy audit by the power company we use just prior to having extra attic insulation & new dbl pane windows installed. #1 Because its done as a free service in our area and #2 because I really wanted to justify in my mind that spending the money was worth it or not. During the audit, the guy from the power company actually told us by using a small device he had, a good approximation of how much each of our appliances cost us each year to run and offered tips on how to lower their expense. He indicated to us at the time that we really didn't have enough items in our basement fridge to stabilise the interior temp thus causing it to "run" a lot more and "suck" power unnessesarily. He said to always try to keep it as full as possible to keep it from a continuous run cycle and this would in turn cut its cost by 20 to 30%. He suggested keeping the freezer full of meat or even just ice cubes and the fridge part full of beverages even if its only bottled water so it could "hold its temp setting" much easier and run less. We by using most of his tips and by doing the insulation and windows, wound up saving a lot! Our bill went down from an average of $180/mo. to about $112/mo. We have a modest 3br ranch style home in the midwest. I hope this answers your question. IMHO its definately a good idea to keep your fridge as full as possible even if you have to fill the extra space with water and ice.
    • bright
      bright  •  4 years 0 months ago
      Those are all great points. I have been using the power strip to turn off everything. I also unplug the washer and the dryer when no laundry is being done.
    • Renee
      Renee  •  4 years 0 months ago
      Turning off the power strip does not effect the programming and I see a significant decrease in my power bill after 3 months of doing this... I have everything from my tv, dvr, dvd player....my computer desk...my bedroom tv,dvd, clock, lamps...the toaster,coffee pot, microwave... on those surge protector power strips.. and it makes it super easy to just flip the switch when I'm ready to use those particular appliances...
    • Javi
      Javi  •  4 years 0 months ago
      its expensive but this year i save up enough to replace all the windows in my house with double pane glass. mine were argon filled which is more expensive. but they act as insulation which holds in the cold in summer & the heat in winter. Not to mention i don' t have to dust the furniture as often as i used to. enjoy Javi
    • JennaE
      JennaE  •  4 years 0 months ago
      We turn off all lights and keep our curtains closed. Also, we close the bedroom doors to eliminate heat from bearing on the thermostat. We keep the fans going as well. My electric bill runs about $95 per month and has for the last 6 months. I am hoping Summer doesn't increase it too much.
    • Mr. Brown
      Mr. Brown  •  4 years 0 months ago
      Another suggestion is to purchase window tint for the western-facing windows with sun exposure. We tinted our western windows, and that made our living room habitable once again without air conditioning in the afternoons. Our AC bill has gone down $60 a month with the home tint installed.

      We went through some of the other choices: install new energy-efficient windows, install better blinds, or install a new higher-efficiency AC, and window tint was by far the cheapest option. Here is a installation video of the home window tint installation process that helped us:

      http://www.snaptint.com/video-instructions.html#home
    • Karen
      Karen  •  4 years 0 months ago
      Solar screens are a great saving. We installed them last year right before summer hit and what a difference they made on our electric bill. Saved us from paying outrageous utility cost. Stays cooler longer. Plus changed out all the light bulbs in the house and outside the house. Set up a rain water catching device to use on the lawn and garden. Saves tons. Plus it just makes sense.
    • Whee!
      Whee!  •  4 years 0 months ago
      All are great ideas. One question, if anyone can answer it, please do. I am wondering if it takes more energy for a refrigerator to run if there is more than less food in it? I am thinking it does.
    • sunshine
      sunshine  •  4 years 0 months ago
      Leaving the shades closed during the day reduces the heat in our house.
    • Mom of Two
      Mom of Two  •  4 years 0 months ago
      This is such an important topic, especially now. You, and those who are posting comments are doing us all a big favor. Thanks for helping us all with these reminders.
    • Lady R.B.
      Lady R.B.  •  4 years 0 months ago
      HI; Every one. I keep my AC in The summer at 75 and in the winter the heater at 69. It does great for US. Now if There is wind blowing in the summer You could open the windows. And You Will be saveing, A lot more, I mean You're Electric Bill could be light $89.00 depences on how big you're home is.
    • Mary K
      Mary K  •  4 years 0 months ago
      thank you everyone who posted these great tips. Sure helped me alot.
    • D
      D  •  4 years 0 months ago
      If you have living space where your basement is, make the most of it in the heat. Spend your home time watching TV in this cooler part of your house. When you relax and get proper rest you body will adjust better to the heat when you have to go outside. If you have a dishwasher don't forget to use it only when it is full and only when you have to.
    • lali pop
      lali pop  •  4 years 0 months ago
      Plant trees on the south [sunny] side of your house. Tint your windows like you have tinted your car. Put up bamboo screens on the outside of your west and south and east facing windows to block the sun and reduce the need for a/c. Use fans instead of a/c when you can. Put up block-out shades on your windows. These also keep the heat in during winter months.
    • SyniaS.
      SyniaS.  •  4 years 0 months ago
      Good advice.. But do I have to unplug the power strip too or just turn it off.
    • zaidi
      zaidi  •  4 years 0 months ago
      Wonderful advices its high time act on tave thebills.Really in daily routine we ignore these things
    • Annl
      Annl  •  4 years 0 months ago
      this is great news to conserve on electricity. thanks so much ann artlaferriere
    • mat mom
      mat mom  •  4 years 0 months ago
      I close the doors to the bedroom closets and bathrooms. Why am I cooling a closet! I also hang my clothes on the line even if it is only for a hour and if I need to I will put them in the dryer for 5-10 minutes only to soften. When my oldest son went to college and I started doing this my bill went down $100.00, now I also have my water on my electric bill. I have only used by dryer once since 5/13/08. I can't wait until my next bill.
    • m1k3y13
      m1k3y13  •  4 years 0 months ago
      If you install a timer on your hot water heater & set it to come on for a couple of hours in the morning & a couple hours at night, you can lower your electric bill a lot. Also, you can always override if you need additional for washing clothes or dishes.
    • Haywood
      Haywood  •  4 years 0 months ago
      I put a ball valve on the shower arm - just before the head. I get wet, shut off the ball valve, wash and then rinse off. I'm not wasting hot water and I have noticed a decrease in the electric bill. The ball valve is not pretty looking but since I'm the only one seeing it, I don't care what it looks like.
     Post a comment

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