While it may be easy to keep the body cool during summer, one may need to apply certain measures to cool their homes. Many go through the hassle of investing in an A/C system, which isn’t always affordable. The good news is that there are few simple solutions to cooling your home, without the risk of increased electric bills. That said, here are a few essential ways to cool your home this summer.
Close the Blinds
As unlikely as it may seem, up to 30% of unwanted heat comes from the windows. Utilizing curtains and blinds can help you reduce the indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees, thus saving you up to 7% in electricity bills.
Swap your Sheets
Switching up your bedding from time to time does more than just freshen up the room. It is also a great way keeping cool. Fleece blankets and flannel sheets provide good insulation but cotton beddings are a smarter choice during the summer. This is because the material stays cooler and breaths easier.
Ceiling fans
You should make a point of checking every ceiling fan in your home, each of which has a switch for changing the direction of air flow. The right setting vary depending on whether it’s winter or summer. Set the fan in such a way that the air flows downward during the summer to cool the house. In addition, consider investing in a whole house fan. This comes handy if you have an attic, an area of the house where a lot of heat is trapped.
Helpful upgrades
If heat presents a real problem each year, there are a couple large upgrades that will go a long way towards cooling your home i.e. getting a new roof and re-painting to a light color. Metal, certain tiles, clay and slate roofs offer more heat protection compared to standard shingles. These are quite expensive projects and as such, you should only implement them when heat is a real problem or are already planning a major renovation.
Change A/C Filters
If you own an A/C system, consider changing the filters on a regular basis. Check them every 4-6 weeks if you are running an air conditioner and more frequently if you have a furnace fan. The main problem presented by a dirty filter is reduced efficiency of airflow. It’s advisable to always have a few filters at hand for when replacement is required.
Ditch the oven and stove
It goes without saying that using the oven and stove during the summer will only cause indoor temperatures to spike. The last thing you need when dealing with a heat problem in the house is to turn on a 450 degree oven. This is where grilling will prove a worthwhile hobby as it will keep you fed without having to worry about cooling the indoors.
Get rid of incandescent Lights
There is no better motivation to switch to compact fluorescent lamps than the need to maintain low indoor temperatures in the summer. They use less energy and emit less heat compared to incandescent lights. As such, using CFLs instead of incandescent lights not only reduces your energy bills, but it also helps cool the house.
We hope that the above tips have been helpful. Let us know if they worked for you. Also feel free to give additional tips.
Charlie Teschner started MESA Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling in 1982. Charlie has a journeyman and master plumber’s license. He was raised with a strong work ethic and he now applies those values to tasks such as Longmont, CO heating repair.