Lowering Summer Time Energy Consumption and Costs

Summer is that time of year when people usually consume less amounts of energy when compared to the rest of the year. Lights don't get turned on as early, laundry is more apt to be hung on a line rather than tossed into a dryer, and barbeque grills become the appliance of choice for cooking. Even so, in light of the continuing cost of fuel, it's prudent to conserve as much energy as possible. Here are a few additional ways to lower your energy consumption, as well as your monthly bills, during the summer months.

When I was young my mother used to say, "Shut the door. I'm not heating the whole town," when I'd leave the door open during the winter. The concept is applicable during the summer as well. If you use air conditioners or have central air, keeping doors and windows shut will obviously aide in trapping the cool air in your house. But, take it a step further, and place weather stripping along the bottom of all doors and windows.

One day, a few winters ago, I noticed a draft of cold air coming in through one of my closed windows. I locked it and the frigid draft disappeared. The little gap that existed when I shut my windows without locking them made a big difference in keeping the cold air out. It has the same benefit when I'm aiming to keep cool air in.

Keeping those penetrating sun rays out will not only help to keep the inside of your home cooler, it will put less wear and tear on you homes cooling system. Hang dark drapes on all windows to block the sun's rays. You could also invest in energy efficient window dressing which reduces the suns radiating heat.

Perform periodic maintenance on your air conditioners and central cooling system. For proper maintenance of both refer to your owners operating manual. In addition, have the duct work on your cooling system checked for leaks, and have them vacuumed bi-annually. Dirt and dust will eventually collect in the duct work which will inhibit proper air flow and create more of a work load on the system.

Invest in an energy-efficient water heater. One of the most popular styles is called an on-demand water heater. The concept behind it is that the water will be heated as needed rather than sit in your water tank, and be constantly heated whether there is a need for it or not; hence the name on-demand. In addition, wrapping your tank and hot water plumbing lines with insulation will help retain heat, which will reduce fuel consumption.

In additional to these summer-time energy saving tips, the following suggestions can be incorporated year-round in your efforts to reduce energy consumption.

*Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) in place of incandescent. They use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer.

* Unplug appliances after use. All appliances draw energy; even when they aren't being used. Especially those equipped with built-in clocks and illuminated on/off indicators.

* Turn your refrigerator/freezer thermostat down a notch.

* Install a programmable thermostat to regulate temperature.

With the threat of higher energy costs looming in the all to near future it's important to do all you can to save wherever you can. So incorporate a few of these tips, save a few pennies, and enjoy your summer without dreading those exuberant monthly bills.