Thankfully, there are ways to reduce your electricity usage during the summer without compromising on comfort. Use these tips and tricks to save some money, reduce the strain on your area’s electrical grid, and help the planet while you’re at it.
Isolate any heat you can
Turn off your oven and any unnecessary electronics that produce heat, like lamps with incandescent bulbs. This will help you use less power while also avoiding the warmth they can add to your living space. If you have a grill or cooking fire pit outside, use it, but if you must turn on the oven or stove, isolate its ambient heat by closing your kitchen off from the rest of your home. This can be as simple as closing some doors, setting up a privacy screen, or hanging a heavy blanket over any open areas. If you go for that last option, we recommend nailing the cloth up like you’re hanging a painting (the wood that forms the side of any opening should continue straight up to the ceiling)—tape can strip the paint off your walls.
Work smarter to save money
Many of us spend the workday tied to our electronics, whether we’re at home or in the office. To avoid using excess electricity, only charge up and run devices when you need to do so for the task at hand. Practice these tricks to stay productive and reduce your power usage this summer:
