The heat is on! Summer may not officially begin until late June, but now is the perfect time to plan on staying cool, manage your electricity costs, and be kinder to the planet.

Here are a few tips to get you started: 

• Use a programmable thermostat. Manage your energy costs by programing your thermostat to turn off your home’s cooling system when you’re not home and back on before you return. Depending on the type of thermostat you have, you can do this remotely from your mobile phone. 

• Try a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans can help your air conditioner to work more efficiently. Running fans counter-clockwise in summer will circulate cool air and improve air flow. 

• Keep the sun out. To keep rooms with direct exposure to sun cooler – and ease the load on your home’s cooling system -- try closing curtains and blinds during the day. 

• Seal air leaks. Caulking is your home’s best friend. Sealing cracks around windows and doors helps keep hot air out in summer (and cold air out in winter). 

• Take it outside. Hanging laundry outside to dry can help to reduce the costs of running the dryer on hot days.

• Plant a tree. Deciduous trees (the kind that shed leaves in the fall) are a great way to provide shade on your property. Planting on the east, west and south sides of your house will cast a shadow during the hottest times of the day, helping to ease the load of your cooling system and reducing your electricity use. 

• Choose different cooking options. Instead of using your oven for summertime meals, which can make your cooling system work harder and increase your energy costs, try an outdoor barbecue. Microwaves, crock pots and toaster ovens also use less energy. 

• Pack the freezer. The more food you pack into your freezer, the less energy it will use. That’s because the chilled air from frozen items recirculates in the freezer and helps the freezer motor operate more efficiently. 

• Pick a pricing plan that works for you. Electricity prices can be lower depending on the type of rate plan you choose. Knowing how much electricity you use – and when you use electricity – will help you to decide which plan to choose and the best way to manage your energy costs.  

Click here for more ways to stay cool – and stay in control of your energy costs – all year long.