Top 10 Tips to Conserve Energy This Summer!

The summer has officially started. Sunshine, cool lemonades and the beach is what are on most people’s minds.

Take a minute out of your busy schedule to read this article on the 10 best tips on how to conserve energy this summer – maybe you’ll find some simple tips that not only helps with lowering the global carbon footprint, but also cuts your energy costs!

As much as one tenth of a typical American household’s energy consumption goes to the lighting sector. This means that if you’ve yet to replace your old incandescent light bulbs, you are losing out on a lot of cash! Energy saving light bulbs spends 80% less energy than Thomas Edison’s old incandescent ones!
One of the reasons why incandescent light bulbs consumes five times more electricity than the energy-saving ones is that they emit light in the wavelengths that the human eye cannot detect, in other words heat. Actually, the majority of the electricity that goes into an incandescent light bulb is wasted as heat, which is usually a complete waste during the summer! CFLs and LEDs give off way less heat.
Consider investing in a good air conditioner or heat pump for your house. This is a long-term investment, but it shouldn’t take long before you start seeing both improvements in indoor air quality as well as lower energy bills!
Reduce your fuel consumption by not driving all the time. The summer is perfect for a walk, a run or cycling. Work on your tan and stop global warming at the same time (!)
Cool roofs are designed to absorb as little and reflect as much as possible heat from the sun. This can be very convenient during the summer when cooling costs are high, but you probably might not want to install this in a house in a cold climate where heating is wanted.
Natural sunlight is not only much better than artificial sunlight – it is also completely free! By taking advantage of the new energy-efficient windows on the market you get more sunlight and at the same time reduce heat leakage.
Outdoor solar lighting is another great way to harness the energy in the sun. They are simple to set up, require very little maintenance and is an excellent source of free lighting.
Another way to reduce cooling costs is landscape shading. Trees and plants can be grown at strategic locations outside your house to absorb large parts of the sunlight that otherwise would go straight into your home. As with number 6. This is probably not something you’d want in a cold climate where heating is a good thing.
These days, investing in solar panels for your home can actually be quite profitable. Depending on where you live, state/government rebates and tax credits can reduce the costs of a solar system with more than 50%, which means that the payback time in some cases is 5 to 10 years.
Last but not least is proper sealing of buildings. Tiny air leaks in your house can mean massive losses of energy and higher energy bills. This goes both ways (preventing cooling in the summer and heating when the outside air is cold)