Imagine it’s the hottest day of the summer and your AC is hard at work. All of a sudden, the power goes off. It’s more common than you think. The scorching heat in the summer pushes electricity demand to its limit. Air conditioners strain the grid and overload it, leading to a blackout.
But what if we tell you that there’s a way you can keep the lights on and slash your energy bill while at it? In this blog post, we’re going to share some tips that will help you avoid blackouts and overloads this summer.
Why Summer Causes More Power Outages?
Summer brings its unique challenges to our power systems, and this leads to frustrating blackouts. They include the following:
- Very high AC demand: The cooling systems work overtime, overload electrical circuits, and strain the grid.
- Aging infrastructure: Many power lines and transformers can’t handle peak loads, which increases the risk of power failure.
- Extreme heat effects: Hot weather makes electrical wires less efficient and more prone to damage.
- Increased storms: Summer thunderstorms and hurricanes can knock out vulnerable power lines.
- Spikes from simultaneous usage: When everyone cranks up their appliances around the same time, it overloads the systems.
7 Simple Ways to Prevent Blackouts & Overloads
Use Appliances Strategically
You should operate heavy-duty appliances like washers, dryers, and dishwashers during early morning or late evening hours. That’s because these are off-peak hours and there will be less strain on the grid during these periods. Alternatively, you can purchase energy-efficient appliances.
Optimize Your Air Conditioning
You should complement your AC with ceiling fans to make the room feel cooler and keep the filters clean. Then, use smart thermostats to automatically adjust the temperature before you go to bed.
Eliminate Phantom Energy Drain
Many of our devices suck power even when switched off including TVs, chargers, and game consoles. To prevent the energy drain, you should unplug them when you’re not using them. You can also use advanced power strips to cut off power to idle electronics. This will reduce your energy bill by 5-10% and prevent unnecessary strain on the power grid.
Space Out High-Energy Tasks
You should avoid running your dishwasher, AC at full blast, and clothes dryer at the same time. Instead, you handle them at different times. Aside from preventing brownouts or blackouts, it also makes sure there’s no circuit overload, which is essential for home electrical safety.
Install Window Treatments
You should use reflective blinds, solar window film, or blackout curtains to block heat from entering your home from outside. They will reduce your AC workload by 25-30% during peak hours.
Use LED Lights
LED bulbs use significantly less energy than incandescent bulbs and are much more durable. So we recommend using them in your home, especially in the kitchen and living room, where the lights are on most of the time.
Conduct an Energy Audit
We recommend hiring a licensed electrician to inspect your home for hidden power drains, such as leaky ducts or poor insulation. On noticing these concerns, they can offer solutions for them. A one-time check can save your home 10-20% of energy usage.
Conclusion
You can prevent summer blackouts and overloads by following the tips we’ve shared. We also invite you to explore Konn World for energy-saving solutions like our LED lights. Let’s help you take charge of your home’s power usage today.