Air conditioners have become an essential appliance or fixture in most US homes. They are certainly the easiest way to keep any home cool during the summer and often double up as heaters in the colder months. The only downside is the utility bill that you get after using your air-con all the time.
Often you can reduce your electricity costs by getting a good AC technician in Austin Texas to service your HVAC system, but this isn’t the only way you can keep your home cooler for less. It turns out that there are many methods to keep your house cool without blowing your budget. They’ll also make you feel like a DIY pro. Take a look at the ideas below for more information.
Keep Blinds Closed
This may sound simple, but did you know that your windows may emit up to 30% of unwanted heat and that using shades, curtains, and other window treatments can save you up to 7% on energy costs while also lowering inside temperatures by up to 20 degrees? In other words, covering the blinds prevents your home from becoming a little greenhouse, which is especially true for windows facing the south and west.
Install Blackout Curtains
Blackout curtains block the sun’s rays, thereby insulating the areas in which they’re used. Neutral-colored drapes with white backings can minimize heat input by up to 33% while also improving the room’s aesthetics.
Keep Internal and External Doors Closed
You don’t want to allow the hot outside air in, and you also want to preserve the cold inside air in your home, so keep the exterior doors closed. This seems pretty obvious, but did you know that you should also close the inside doors? During the warmest portion of the day, closing off empty rooms will prevent cool air from infiltrating these regions.
You’ll also want to take advantage of the cooler evening hours by allowing air to circulate freely around your home to allow even temperatures instead of turning up the AC and using unnecessary electricity.
Circulate Air Better With Fans
Instead of cranking your HVAC unit up to make sure the whole house gets cooled equally, try strategically placing fans to help the cool air circulate better through doorways. Even just turning on the ceiling fans can greatly help with disbursement.
Adjust Your Ceiling Fans Seasonally
You might not know that your ceiling fan requires seasonal adjustment. Your ceiling fan’s blades should be adjusted to rotate counterclockwise throughout the hot months. Air is pushed down, and a refreshing breeze is created when your ceiling fan rotates swiftly in this direction. This helps maintain a house’s temperature, reducing the need to operate an AC continuously.
Use Ice and a Fan
Even an AC can’t provide the illusion of a sea breeze, but this easy method may. Fill a mixing bowl halfway with ice (or maybe something very cold, like an ice pack) and place it in front of a powerful fan at an angle, so the cold air blows off the ice in a super-chilled, super-misty manner.
Use Seasonal Bedding
Seasonally changing your bedding is not only a terrific way to freshen up a room, but it’s also a great method to stay cool. While insulating fabrics like flannel sheets and fleece blankets are great, cotton is a better choice for the warmer times of the year since it breathes better and keeps you cooler.
Purchase a buckwheat pillow or two as an extra bonus. Even when packed in a pillowcase, buckwheat hulls won’t hang on to your body heat like traditional pillows since they have a natural air space between them. If you don’t want to use cotton or buckwheat products, then that’s okay since there are numerous ‘heat-friendly’ materials for you to choose from.
Open Your Home on Cooler Nights
During the summer, temperatures can decrease dramatically at night. If this is the case where you live, take advantage of these rejuvenating hours by opening the windows or doors before retiring for the night. You may even make your own wind tunnel by strategically positioning your fans to generate the ideal cross breeze. Just make sure the windows and blinds are closed before it becomes too hot in the morning.
Insulate Your Attic
Many of the same factors that make your house warm in the winter also keep it cool in the summer. Insulation, for example, decreases energy expenditures by keeping cold air in and heat out.
Seal Doors and Windows With Stripping
Weatherstripping is similar to insulation in that it is primarily thought of as a winter precaution, but it is also useful in the summer since it prevents cool air from escaping via doors and windows. Weatherstripping is affordable and easy to install; it takes less than half an hour to weather strip the space surrounding a door.
Install Window Awnings
An awning installed over your windows (and doors) helps protect your property from the sun’s beams. This will limit the quantity of heat that your home absorbs through the glass on your doors and windows.
Choose Light Bulbs Wisely
Lights emit heat, they may not emit a lot, but they sure do contribute to how hot any room is. Having said this, we realize that with the shades closed to keep the sun out; you may not be able to turn them off. If this is the case, try changing the types of light bulbs you use in your home.
Small things like changing to fluorescent bulbs can significantly impact the heat in your home while also lowering your energy bill if you’re trying to cool down a room without air conditioning. Incandescent bulbs waste an estimated 90% of the energy they use by emitting heat. If you’re trying to cool down a room, subtle differences like changing light bulbs can help lower your energy bill.
Comfort and Wellbeing
Keeping your home cool in the summer is essential for your health and comfort, as well as for your pets. While air conditioners are the go-to answer for hot summer days, they may occasionally require some assistance.
Simple house improvements, like insulation and light bulb replacement, may make a huge impact on your home’s temperature. There are lots of other methods to stay cool in the summer without turning on the air conditioner. These will not, however, make your home as pleasant as an air conditioner will.