Looking for simple ways to lower your electricity use and stay cool during Alberta’s hot summer months? Small changes around your home can make a difference. These five low-cost, energy-saving tips will help you keep cool, use less electricity and get the most out of your air conditioning and fans this summer.

During a heat wave, set your thermostat to 25°C or higher. You’ll save 5 per cent on your cooling costs for every degree you increase the temperature setting when your air conditioning kicks in.

At one time people thought that closing every window in their home during summer would help keep things cooler. That’s mostly true, but windows that open into shady areas may be cooler and can provide a refreshing breeze. 

If you are using fans to keep cool, position them near a window that opens to a shady area, and use it to draw the cooler air in. You can also aim your fan at an open window and use the airflow to push warmer air out of your house.

Grilling outdoors can help avoid heating up your house and making your air conditioning or fans work harder during summer.

Skip the dryer and hang laundry on a clothesline or drying rack. Plus, there’s nothing quite like that scent of clothes dried in the fresh summer air.