“On a day when I hear most of our neighbors using their air conditioning, we can usually go another day or two without air conditioning by really actively using these passive strategies,” he said. Siegel’s strategies are only a couple of examples of how Canadians can reduce electricity bills, which are inclined to skyrocket when the sweltering heat of summer sets in and folks depend on air-con to remain comfortable.
To stay cool while cutting costs, experts recommend starting with steps like Siegel’s, since they’re typically easy and inexpensive. This often means dressing in light colours because they absorb less heat, blocking the sun with curtains or blinds, minimizing the usage of heat-producing appliances like dryers or ovens, or scheduling them to be turned on within the evenings when it’s cooler. Reducing air-con and using ceiling fans or other fans that promote air circulation and are usually not very expensive also help greatly, said Robert McLeman, a professor of environmental studies at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Practical suggestions to scale back your electricity consumption
During the day, when the air outside is hotter than inside, adjust your fan to blow the air out of the room you might be in, cooling you down. At night, when it tends to be warmer inside than outside, change direction, he said.
If you are at home and lucky enough to have a basement, he recommends spending more time there. “On hot days I often sleep down there so we don’t have to turn up the air conditioning to keep the bedrooms cool,” he explained.
If you are still on the lookout for relief, after completing all of those steps, address your air conditioner if you’ve one, experts say.
The biggest savings often come from resisting the urge to further lower the temperature in your property. Because the more intensively an air conditioner works to chill your room, the more electricity it uses and the more electricity you’ve to pay. McLeman suggests saving by determining the very best temperature your household finds comfortable in the summertime by regularly increasing your thermostat every day, then stopping at the ultimate threshold.
“In many cases, the humidity is the really concerning part of these heat waves, so if we can reduce that humidity just a little bit, it’s often surprising how warm your house can be and still be comfortable,” he said.
Pay attention to the health of friends or members of the family
Siegel agrees that each degree you’ll be able to increase the temperature has an enormous profit for you, but there are limitations. While some tolerate heat well, older people, pregnant women and lots of individuals with health problems or pets generally require lower temperatures. Studies have also shown that heat waves result in a rise in hospitalizations and deaths.
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“We all complain about the heat, but some people are very susceptible to it, so it’s important to manage this risk,” Siegel said, recommending seeing a physician if you’ve any doubts about what temperature is best on your health.
While some people recommend turning off or turning down the air-con once you leave the home for a day, that does not at all times get monetary savings, in response to McLeman. If the difference between the inside and outside temperatures is simply a couple of degrees, that is not a foul idea. But if it’s 35°C outside and it’s humid and far cooler outside, he says it’s probably dearer to show off the air-con once you’re not at home.
“Your house is going to heat up to exactly the ambient temperature and there’s going to be a lot of humidity building up in your house. The amount of energy it takes to get it back to comfortable temperatures when you get home could cost you more than actually just letting it run gently in the background,” McLeman said.
If you haven’t got air-con or don’t need to blow it up, visit public spaces like a food market, library, mall, and even the office. “If you work from home some days a week, choosing the days you don’t work from home can be a great way to take advantage of someone else’s air conditioning,” Siegel said.
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