We are in the middle of a major heat wave here in Edmonton, and while we are used to a few 30-degree days each year, these current temperatures are no joke. If you are struggling to beat the heat this week, here are a few tips to help you keep cool without racking up your power bill!

How to beat the heat in your home
  • Be mindful of your power consumption! Try to stick to no-cook meals or use your oven as sparingly as possible. If you’re using fans and other appliances that require an outlet, we advise that you periodically give your circuits a break to avoid blowing any breakers. Using appliances like ovens and hair tools sparingly will also reduce the amount of heat coming into your home.
  • Keep your blinds closed to limit the amount of heat coming in through the windows, especially in south and west-facing windows. To encourage air flow without too much heat, only keep certain windows open. 
  • If you have air conditioning or will be using fans to cool down, resist cranking them to their lowest and/or most powerful setting at all times, not only to avoid overwhelming your circuits, but also to keep your electricity bill from sky-rocketing. 
  • Turn your furnace fan on to promote proper air flow throughout your home and keep your interior doors open so the air can flow through your whole home.
  • If you were planning on doing yard work this week, we recommend putting your sod delivery on hold until the weather cools down a bit, especially if your municipality is currently under a water advisory, to prevent any irreparable heat damage to your brand-new lawn.
  • If you have had sod delivered and are not under a water advisory, we encourage you to do your watering during the coolest times of the day, whether it’s early in the morning or later in the evening. This method also goes for any other watering you have been planning to do around the house. 
  • Be mindful of any paint-related DIY projects you have on the go! Paint will not dry or cure properly in extreme heat, so save yourself the trouble by holding off until the temperature lowers. If you do paint, please be advised that your project will be sticky for much longer than normal if applied in this heat. 
  • With extreme heat comes extreme summer storms! Be sure to check your sump pumps so you aren’t coming home to any unwanted water in your home when the weather takes a turn. 

We hope these tips help get you through this heat wave! In the meantime, keep cool and stay hydrated! If this week has influenced you to consider air conditioning for your home, here’s a great blog post by our friends at Weiss-Johnson that takes a deep dive into all things AC!