Things You'll Need:
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Step 1
Switch from incandescent lights to compact florescent bulbs. When using an incandescent light, only 5% of the energy is used as light while the rest is given out as heat. That is very counter-productive when trying to cool your home.
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Step 2
Keep the oven and stove off. These appliances are not efficient energy users and give off a lot of heat inside your home. When it is possible, heat with a microwave or just take it all outside and use a barbecue or grill.
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Step 3
Be choosy about using your clothes dryer. Dryers use lots of electricity and put out a lot of heat, so try line drying your clothes in the hot summer months. If there is no space for a clothes line or you need to fluff your clothes for a few minutes, throw them in the dryer in the morning or evening hours. Your home is probably a few degrees cooler then and you can stand the extra heat without turning on the air.
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Step 4
Ditch the dishwasher. Especially if you live by yourself or you do not generate a lot of dirty dishes, running the dishwasher is uneconomical. When a dishwasher dries the dishes it puts out a lot of heat in your home. If your racks are only half full, this is wasteful and puts an added strain on your home cooling system.
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Step 5
Insulate your water heater. Hot water heaters can radiate a lot of heat if they are not insulated. Not only will insulation help keep your cooling costs low, but it will also improve the efficiency of your water heater and keep its energy usage low.
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Step 6
Don't overlook your fireplace. If your fireplace runs on gas, just shut off the gas supply to get rid of the pilot light. Surprisingly, the pilot light puts out a lot of heat. If you have a damper in your fireplace, make sure it is shut to prevent cool indoor air from escaping outside.
Comments
Wasatch said
on 2/6/2009 All very good tips. Thanks for the research you did.
healthymomof5 said
on 2/4/2009 Excellent tips!5*