5 Tips to Stay Cool & Save This Summer.

Today is the first day of summer – otherwise know as summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year! To maximize your enjoyment, we have some great tips for staying cool this summer AND saving money while you do:

1. Cook in the Great Outdoors

Summer is all about enjoying the sunshine, spending time with your friends and family, and relaxing in your own personal backyard oasis. We suggest the grill masters take their place for a few months of BBQ-fuelled meals. By avoiding cooking in the house, not only do you reduce the heat from the kitchen, you are also naturally relaxing in your extended outdoor living space.

2. Take Advantage of Fans

Instead of cranking the A/C (and your electricity bill), consider cooling down with portable fans. Not only are these great options if your home is not equipped with air conditioning, but they can help ease the stress on your unit when used together! Portable fans work by creating a breeze, helping to circulate the air and causing a wind-chill effect that hits your skin and helps keep you cool.

PRO TIP: For an extra blast of coolness, place a bowl of ice in front of the fan to create a refreshing mist of air!

3. Shut Out the Heat

We wait for summer all year but, as nice as it is to have that bright light streaming though, it can also increase the heat in your house and cause extra stress on your A/C unit and fans. On especially hot days, keeping the curtains drawn can help reduce the heat input and allow your home to stay cooler and more comfortable!

4. Maintain Your Air Filters

An often-overlooked aspect of home maintenance are air filters. With summer in full swing, we suggest you check the filters in your home. Dirty or jammed up filters slow airflow and make the system work harder, thereby reducing airflow and causing the heat to build up in your home. Plus, ignoring the maintenance on these can lead to expensive repairs down the road. Replacing your air filters every three months is ideal to keep dirt and dust out of your system and ensure they are working optimally.

5. Swap to Energy Efficient Lighting

You have probably heard some of the reasons why LED lights have become so popular, but did you know that they also produce 75 percent less heat than incandescent bulbs, and can help keep room temperature down? This cannot only help keep your home cooler during those toasty summer months, but it can also help reduce monthly bills!

Whether you implement one or all of these handy cool-down tips, we hope you have an amazing summer season filled with backyard memories and enjoy your home to the fullest!