Ontario: Don't Let Heat Exhaustion Affect Your Wallet During The Heat Wave

Toronto, ON (7/22/2011) - Temperatures are high across North America, and things are no different in Canada. With many parts of Ontario officially declaring the first heat wave of the season, shorts, tank tops, and flip flops are a must in the battle to keep cool. Air conditioners are also a major player in keeping Canadians cool, which also means higher energy consumption and ultimately higher cooling bills.

"Recent temperatures have been through the roof, and with the kids home on summer vacation, overall energy consumption is typically much higher," said Dave Walton, Director of Home Ideas at Direct Energy. "But you don't have to break out into a sweat about your energy bills, by implementing a few easy tips you can keep your summer energy costs in check without having to sacrifice comfort."

Direct Energy offers ten simple tips under ten dollars to help lower your energy bill this summer, without having to resort to wearing a swimsuit indoors.

Tips

• Increase your thermostat by two degrees. Save up to $253 on your annual energy bill by increasing the thermostat from 22 degrees to 24 degrees during the summer months FREE
• Close curtains or blinds on windows that are receiving direct sunlight to keep the heat out of the house FREE
• Replace the light bulbs in your home to compact fluorescent. Use energy-saving light bulbs that can last up to ten times longer than a normal bulb and use significantly less energy. A single 20- to 25-watt energy-saving bulb provides as much light as a 100-watt ordinary bulb $2 - $8/bulb
• Seal your doors, windows and air ducts with weather stripping or caulk. Up to 30% of cooling can be lost through holes and cracks throughout your home. This can save you up to $150 a year on your energy bills $5.00 - 10.00 Weather Stripping $3.00 - 5.00/Caulk
• Unplug vampire electronics when not in use - items like cell phones, iPod, and computer chargers tend to suck energy even when they are not being used FREE
• Defrost your freezer regularly. When ice builds up, your freezer uses more electricity FREE
• Microwaves use substantially less energy than ovens. Use one when cooking and reheating items. Even better, use the outdoor grill and have yourself a summer barbecue FREE
• If you're going to be away from home for a long time, say, on summer vacation, turn the temperature up. Better yet, turn the air conditioning unit off FREE
• Clean or replace your air conditioner's filter every month. Not only will it prevent wear-and-tear on your system, it can save up to 5% on your energy bills. Some filters cost more, make sure to follow the manufacturer specs for your equipment $3.00 - $10/per filter
• Close doors to less used rooms so your air conditioner doesn't have to work harder to cool unused spaces FREE

For more energy efficiency tips and information, please visit Direct Energy's website, or visit Dave's blog at DavesCorner.ca , to watch a summer energy efficiency video.

About Direct Energy

Direct Energy is one of North America's largest energy and energy-related services providers with more than 6 million residential and commercial customer relationships. Direct Energy provides customers with choice and support in managing their energy costs through a portfolio of innovative products and services. A subsidiary of Centrica plc (LSE:CNA), one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, Direct Energy operates in 45 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia and 10 provinces in Canada.

For further information, please contact:

Crystal Jongeward
Direct Energy
1-416-590-3248
crystal.jongeward@directenergy.com