Photo Credit: Abhijit Bhatwadekar
With summer fast approaching, homeowners across North America are turning on their heat pump systems and air conditioning units, and feeling that glorious cold air wash over them. Air conditioning is one of the simple joys of summer, but, unfortunately, the utility bill that accompanies it is not. Fortunately, here at Maritime Geothermal, we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves to save money on cooling by decreasing your heat pump’s cooling load. Here are our top tips:
Keep Windows and Blinds Closed
The best way to lower your cooling bills in the summer time is to avoid bringing warm summer air into your home. This warm air has to be cooled, which requires your heat pump to work longer. The longer your heat pump works, the more expensive your utility bills will be! Avoid letting warm air into your home by keeping your windows and blinds closed during the day, or anytime when the outdoor temperature is higher than the indoor temperature.
Turn Your Thermostat Up
We’re sure you’ll be just as comfortable with the thermostat at a cool 22 degrees Celsius instead of a freezing 20 degrees. By raising the temperature in your home just two degrees, you’ll give your heat pump a break and reap the savings. You can even take it a step further and buy a programmable thermostat. These “smart” thermostats are designed raise and lower the temperature of your home, automatically. For example, you can program the thermostat to raise the temperature while you’re away at work, and lower the temperature to a more comfortable level when you get home.
Turn Off Appliances
Most of us know that turning off appliances will help reduce our energy consumption, but did you know that turning them off could also reduce your cooling bills? Appliances and electronics give off heat, which your heat pump then needs to remove from your home. Give your heat pump a break by turning off all computers, televisions, lights, and stereos when they aren’t in use.
Hang Your Clothes on a Clothesline
Besides the obvious benefits of not using electricity to run your clothes dryer, drying your clothes on a clothesline also decreases your cooling bill. When your dryer runs, it takes cool air from your home, heats it up, and then exhausts it outside. The means that new, warm air must be pulled into your home from outside to replace the exhausted air. Your heat pump will have to cool this new air resulting in a bigger cooling load and higher cooling bills.
Plant Deciduous Trees Near Your Home
If you’re a homeowner and you’re interested in long-term ways to decrease your energy consumption, consider planting deciduous trees near your home, such as a maple or birch tree. In the summer time, the leaves of a deciduous tree will provide shade to the roof of your house, which will decrease the cooling load on your heat pump. In the winter, the tree will shed its leaves, leaving your roof exposed to the sun, which will warm your home through passive solar heating.
Your valuable summer vacation time (and money) should be spent on trips to the beach, vacations, and travel, not on worrying about how you’re going to pay your high utility bill. Follow the tips above to ensure a lower cooling bill this summer, or take the ultimate step toward efficiency: install a geothermal heat pump.
Trying to save money on your cooling bill this summer? Learn how you could decrease your cooling costs by 30%, download our ebook: Geothermal Energy: Consistent, Comfortable, and Cost Effective Heating and Cooling for Your Home