Summers can be grueling. From the damp, humid air to the hot sun beating down, most of us have endured some rough summer heat. Keeping hydrated and staying inside during the hottest part of the day will lesson the effects on our bodies. But what about our homes? We need them to stay as cool as possible so that we can stay as cool as possible!
Keeping energy costs in mind, here are some tips and ideas to help your home stay cool.
- Turn off lights in your home. This is an easy step to take, but often over-looked. Keeping your lights off when not in use can help lower the warmth of a room, especially if the bulbs are incandescent. Another great tip, switch all your bulbs to LED!
- Reduce sunlight. Keeping out direct sunlight will help keep the temperature down. Install blinds or curtains and keep them drawn. Don’t forget to check your windows for any damage and think about replacing them if needed.
- Keep cooking to a minimum. Easier said than done, of course. But on those really hot days, opt to make cold foods (salad), grill out or use appliances that don’t heat up your kitchen so much.
- Set ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise. Reversing the rotation of the blades will help push hot air up towards the ceiling, helping you feel cooler.
- Use heat-emanating appliances at the cooler part of the day (night). Running your dryer at night when it’s cooler will help keep the temp down in your home.
- Open windows at night. If you live in a state that has much cooler nighttime temperatures, use it to your advantage and open your windows. Keep safety in mind and only keep upper windows open through the night.
Keeping up with the maintenance on your home will also play a role in keeping it cool and lowering energy costs when the A/C is constantly running. Replacing air filters, repairs to weather-stripping on doors & windows and regular HVAC tune-ups are all important steps to take.
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