There are many ways to beat the summer heat! The one place that everyone wants to be able to sit back and relax in comfort is in their own home. Having a house that gets too hot too quickly and can’t seem to cool down is a bummer. Maintaining your A/C and making sure that the sunlight is kept out are important, but keeping your home cool with or without A/C can be done with a few simple tips and tricks!
Keep your windows shaded. Having shades on your windows can drastically reduce the cooling load on your air conditioner. You don’t think about it, but a lot of heat can come in through windows, even if the sun isn’t shining through them!
Install blinds, awnings, or shades to keep heat away. Having mini-blinds can reduce solar gain by 40-50 percent. Installing awnings where there is insufficient roof overhang will provide you with shade outside while keeping individual rooms cool. Hanging bamboo shades outside of windows that face the sun can reduce the heat coming in the window by 60-80 percent!
For older central air models, consider updating. If you have central air that has an outdoor compressor, you may want to update your air conditioner. Having a newer, high-efficiency unit will not only cool your home quicker, but it will also save you money!
Your A/C needs to be shaded – even if it’s inside! If you have an indoor central A/C, you should make sure the room that it’s in is still shaded. If your A/C unit is outside, you’ll especially need shade for your unit. Keeping the unit shaded can increase its efficiency by 5-10 percent!
Take care of your filters. Make sure to clean your A/C’s air filter every month. Dust buildup can reduce airflow.
Go “old school” – use a ceiling fan! You have one, why not put it to good use? Using a ceiling fan can allow you to have your air on a warmer setting while still maintaining a comfortable temperature in the room.
Wait to do things that generate heat. If you need to cook, bake, or wash the dishes, wait until the evening or a cool day. Doing activities that will generate heat will only make your home hotter and kick your A/C into overdrive.
Get rid of those incandescent lights. If you have incandescent lights, now is the time to ditch them. Incandescent lights waste most of their energy emitting heat, which is not only inefficient, it makes your home hotter. Switching to CFLs will save you time and money when it comes to keeping your home cool.
Plant a tree. By planting a tree on the side of your house that gets the most sun you will not only be helping the environment, but also keeping your home cool by blocking the sun from coming in your windows.
