Saving Energy in Summer

As the weather warms, take the opportunity to consider some spring and summer energy saving ideas.

Keep the pilot light off on your natural gas fireplace during the summer months and when it is not being used regularly.

Book your furnace servicing. The summer is an ideal time to arrange for furnace service since your wait for an appointment will be much shorter than trying for a fall or winter booking.

Substantial savings can be realized by cooking with your natural gas barbecue.

Additionally, you benefit by keeping the temperature cooler in your house than if you used your oven.

Suitable window coverings will improve the comfort level in your home immensely by keeping the sun's rays out in the summer and by adding a layer of insulation to keep your home warmer in the winter. Anything from heavy, insulated blinds to matchstick shades will work and can even be temporarily installed on the outside of your home. Consider tacking a cover over your skylights on the roof in the summer months. Keep these coverings over your windows when the sun's rays are aimed in their direction.

Keep windows and doors closed during the day; open them at night to take advantage of naturally supplied cool air.

When trying to keep the house cool, consider using fans rather than air conditioners.  Fans use less energy and can be turned on as needed when a room is occupied.

If operating a window air conditioner, use a fan to spread the cool air throughout your home.

Use ceiling fans. Circulating air effectively in large areas can assist in keeping rooms at uniform temperatures.

Effective landscaping can also have an impact on your home’s energy efficiency. When planning your landscaping, consider the following strategies:

• Plant leafy green trees on the sunny sides (typically south or west facing) of your home. Their summer leaves provide cool shade, and their bare winter branches let the warm sunlight through. You may also consider installing awnings over south facing windows.
  
  
• Use evergreen trees and shrubs to create a windbreak. A windbreak will reduce wind speed for a distance of as much as 30 times the windbreak’s height. The most common method is to plant the evergreens to the north and northwest of your home.
  
  
• If snow tends to drift in your yard, plant low shrubs on the windward side of your windbreak. The shrubs will trap snow before it blows next to your home.