Some tips to decrease your electricity consumption during the summer!

Now that the mercury is finally rising, it's the perfect time to implement strategies that will make your electricity bill melt away.

Learn 8 easy but effective tricks to help you lower your electricity usage while making the most of the lovely weather. Your bank account will thank you!

1. Say goodbye to the dryer

As soon as the first warm days arrive, forget the dryer and hang your clothes on the clothesline to air dry. In your yard or on your balcony, plan for a shady section of clothesline to prevent your black clothes from fading. Additionally, invest in a small drying rack that you can set up outdoors.

2. Close the windows during the day

Although it might seem counterintuitive, it's an excellent way to keep your house cool. If the outside temperature is significantly higher than the inside (or if it's very humid), close the windows to prevent hot air from entering. Instead, open them at night to let the cool air in.

3. Close the curtains

Lower electricity use in the summer

The sun beating down on your exposed windows can create a real sauna. Consider closing the curtains during sunny hours and give your air conditioner a bit of a break.

4. Turn off the outdoor lights

If you use outdoor lights, choose LED bulbs and switch them off before you go to sleep. You can also go for solar-powered lighting.

5. Take cool showers

Everybody loves 2-for-1s! Here, we cool down without air conditioning or an electric fan, and we wash up without using too much hot water.

6. Get the right equipment to properly maintain your swimming pool

Pool energy savings

Filtering and heating a pool can account for more than half of your energy bill during the warm season.

To reduce your costs, equip yourself with:

  • A heat pump: it uses electrical energy to extract heat from the outside air and transfer it to the pool water with great energy efficiency.
  • A solar blanket: it reduces heat loss.
  • A timer: it can reduce filtration costs by up to 45% without compromising water quality, according to Hydro-Québec.
  • A dual-speed or variable-speed pump: it enables cost-effective water filtering due to its low speed.

For more info, consult the Hydro-Québec website.

7. Change your light bulbs

Believe it or not, traditional incandescent light bulbs can increase a room's temperature substantially. Furthermore, they consume more energy and last much less longer than new energy-efficient light bulbs.

8. Pull the plug

Turn off and unplug all your electrical and electronic devices when they are not in use. Do it also before leaving your house for vacation. Why? Because they constantly consume electricity (yes, even when turned off!) and sometimes give off heat (computers that are on, especially).

Enjoy your summer! ☀️🍹