Most people are cautious of their household budget. Things like groceries and utility bills fluctuate quite a bit from month to month depending on the habits of the people in the home.

This is definitely true during the summer and spring months when the weather gets warmer. Now that we have seen a break in the freezing temperatures, it is time to start being mindful of power usage and being energy efficient around the home.

During the spring and summer months, many households will see a significant increase in their power bills due to most families being much more active during the summer months. Things like extra outdoor lighting for eating outdoors and swimming pool motors and filters all require more electricity usage that we normally see during the other times of the year.

Heading into the spring and summer months, make sure that you and your family are following these simple tips for efficient energy usage:

• A major source of energy waste during the summer months is in the kitchen. Using the oven during the summer will not only cause unnecessary energy usage because you could be cooking outdoors, but it will also cause your kitchen to heat up leaving your air conditioner working overtime. Any chance you get during the summer months it is best to cook outdoors.
• Make sure that the areas around your windows and doors are properly sealed. This is especially important to do now that the winter has passed as the high winds and swirling debris and leaves can cause damage to weather stripping over time. Keeping windows and doors airtight is important in all seasons and during the summer will ensure that your air conditioner doesn’t have to work so hard.
• Keep your bathroom and laundry room fans running during the day time hours when you are at home. These fans are designed to help with ventilation and will reduce the heat and humidity inside of your home. And, not only when their respective rooms are in use. The energy they save by keeping your home cool far outweighs the energy they use by running.

The air conditioning in many homes can be a big expense as well. During the winter months, we can add an extra layer to stay warm and keep the heater turned down a bit but, during the summer months it is difficult to escape the heat, and so the air conditioner is usually running around the clock.