Summer is here, and with the soaring temps, our utility bills can start to soar along with it. We’ve gathered a few energy efficiency tips to help keep your home cool and your utility bill lower this summer.

Invest in Energy-Efficient Window Coverings

Our favorite tip, of course, involves your window coverings. Window coverings do so much more than elevate the decor of your home. Installing energy-efficient blinds, shades, or drapes can help your home stay cool. In cooling seasons, about 76% of the sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters to become heat. Window coverings help increase the comfort levels in your home by regulating temperatures and lowering your energy bills.

According to the Department of Energy, a home can lose up to 30% of its cooling energy through its windows without energy-efficient window coverings. Window treatments, like the Hunter Douglas Duettes, can help with a home’s energy efficiency by providing insulation, controlling solar heat gain, and using natural light to reduce the use of electric light (called daylighting), which saves energy.

Use Fans

Using ceiling fans and floor fans to cool your home enables you to increase your thermostat setting, effectively reducing your electricity bill without compromising your comfort. If your home is equipped with bathroom fans, they are designed to extract heat and humidity, further enhancing your comfort, particularly on hot and humid days.

Unplug

When you leave the house, consider unplugging devices from their outlets or using smart power strips to cut down on energy expenses. This can help to eliminate “phantom” or “standby” electricity that appliances, chargers, and standard power strips use, even when they are not in use. A shocking 75 percent of the energy used by home electronics is consumed when they are turned off.

Set Your Thermostat

Find a temperature you are comfortable with that also provides humidity control. The closer your thermostat is to the outside temperature, the lower your utility bill will be. Investing in a programmable or smart thermostat will allow you to set schedules and increase the temperature when you are not at home.

Adjust Your Water Heater

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges all users to lower their water heaters to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This decrease in temperature will prevent accidents, conserve energy, and save money. Water heaters can account for about 18% of the energy used in your home.

Outdoor Solar Shades

We mentioned that blinds, shades, and drapes could help with your overall energy efficiency, and outdoor solar shades on your patio can also help. Our solar screens dull the most piercing sun rays, bringing the temperature down and your comfort levels up. In doing so, they bring down your power bills, an investment that pays for itself over time. Reach out if you are interested in installing outdoor solar shades! 

Landscaping

While you are creating your backyard oasis this year, remember that plants and trees can provide much-needed shade and cooling. Trees lower temperatures through shade, the cooling effects of which can save millions of energy dollars. Even on a residential level, just 3-4 shade trees located strategically around a house can cut summer cooling costs by 30-50%.

We hope these energy efficiency tips help keep you cool this summer. If you are ready to install energy-efficient window treatments in your home or outdoor patio shades, schedule a design consultation today!