Summer is the time for swimming pools, picnics, and vacations. It also brings with it sunburn, dehydration, and a host of other heat related ailments. Another factor associated with summer is increased electricity bills. Everyone uses appliances like coolers and air conditioners to stay cool at home. However, these energy guzzlers can really make a dent in your monthly bill. Here are some ways to cut costs and still keep your surroundings cool.

Keep the Heat out

A simple yet effective way of keeping cool in your home is to make sure that the heat stays outside it. The easiest way of doing this is to keep windows and doors closed during the day. Of course, keeping windows closed is practical only if you are planning to have the air conditioner running at the same time. However, keeping windows and doors closed will prevent warm air from entering, especially during the hottest parts of the day.

Open the windows in the evening, when the temperature has cooled down a bit. If not, the air in your house will also become stale since there is no circulation of air during the day. Opening the windows will allow the stale air in the home to be replaced by fresh air from outside.

Seal corners of windows and doors, to prevent hot air from entering your house. Also, check the walls and ceilings. The same ceiling that leaks during the monsoon will allow hot air from outside to get in during the summer. You can further reduce the amount of heat entering your home by drawing the window shades during the day. These will cut down on the amount of heat transferred to the interiors.

Use Appliances Wisely

The afternoon is the hottest part of the day. While limiting the amount of heat entering your house, remember to minimise the amount of heat produced within the house itself. Household appliances like the refrigerator and washing machine give off heat when they are running. Avoid washing your clothes during this part of the day to minimise the amount of heat produced. Also, try not to open your refrigerator door too often. This causes cool air to escape from inside. Consequently, your refrigerator has to work extra in order to compensate for this loss. This increases the heat generated by the refrigerator.

Whenever possible, use ceiling or table fans. Fans are a great way to improve the circulation of air within a room. They consume a lot less energy than air conditioners and give almost the same level of cooling. You can easily use fans during the day, especially if only a few people are at home during the day.

Air conditioners consume a large amount of electricity. If they are not functioning efficiently, they further push up the energy consumption. In most households, the air conditioner is used only in the summer. Before using the air conditioner, clean its filters with soap and water to remove all the dirt that has accumulated. Also, have a service technician check the air conditioner to see that there are no loose connections.

If your house has a central air conditioning system, see if you can stop it from cooling those areas of your house which are not used frequently. You could shut off the cooling ducts to those areas of the house. Try to keep the air conditioner temperature set as high as possible. The lower the temperature, the more electricity consumed. If you have an air conditioner in only one or two rooms of the house, make sure that the doors and windows of those rooms are closed when the air conditioner is running. This will prevent the air from leaving the rooms.

Keeping your home cool shouldn't have to cost you an arm and a leg. Following a few simple precautions is all you need to beat the heat.