The hot temperatures of the summer can sometimes make your home uncomfortable. If you fail to take critical measures, your home’s inside can become hot or humid, especially if you live in warmer areas. Fortunately, there are specific measures and strategies you can take to boost your home comfort this summer while still cutting down your energy bills. Here are the ten best ways to help you keep your home cool when the temperature increases.
1. Use a ceiling fan
A ceiling fan is very efficient and can make your room up to 10 degrees cooler. Ceiling fans only use 10% of the energy used by a central air conditioning system, reducing thermal sensation from 2 to 4-degree Fahrenheit. In addition, you will not have to set your thermostat as low to keep yourself cool.
Set your fan in the counterclockwise direction to ensure it pulls up the cooler air from the surface and circulates it throughout the room. Ceiling fans only cool people and not the entire house, so you should turn your fan off if no one is in the room. However, you can opt to invest in a motion detector ceiling fan which is typically designed to automatically turn on when they detect your presence in a room.
2. Upgrade your heating and cooling systems
Modern HVAC units are much more energy-efficient than those used 10 years ago. If you are still using your old HVAC system or consistently have to do repairs, it’s time to consider an upgrade. Getting your cooling and heating systems replaced by a reliable air conditioning company will help increase your energy efficiency and offer you more comfort during this summer.
3. Limit the use of heat-generating appliances
Some home appliances, including tumble dryers, hair dryers, microwaves, laundry machines, and dishwashers, usually generate plenty of heat. If you have to use a clothes dryer, make sure you do it at night when the temperature is low. Otherwise, you can opt to dry your clothes with an outdoor clothesline during the day. This will save you energy and help keep your room cooler.
When you want to dry your hair, consider doing it at night or early in the morning. For dishes, manually do them during the daytime with cold water if possible. If you must use the stove, try only to cook in the late evening when the house has already gotten hot and will soon get cooled off by the evening temperatures.
4. Make use of curtains and blinds
You can reduce the heat getting into your house through windows on hot summer days by using blinds or curtains. If you often spend most of your days away from home, you can set smart blinds to open or close automatically during specific day hours. The early morning and late evening light usually don’t bring a lot of heat, so you can open your blinds and curtains to generate a cool breeze with natural ventilation.
5. Apply landscaping
Strategic landscaping is another simple and intelligent way to manage the amount of heat entering your home during summer. Planting deciduous trees and shrubs on the south and west sides of your home will help block off the hot summer sun entering through your windows. These trees lose their leaves during the winter, so they will allow sunlight to enter through the windows when the winter sets in. Long extensions on roofs above the windows prone to direct sun can also reduce the volume of heat getting into your home while still providing natural light. .
6. Open windows under right conditions
Knowing the appropriate time to open and when to close your windows can greatly impact home comfort in the summer. It’s usually tempting to open windows during the summer to allow some fresh air into the house, but the right time is when the air outside the house is cooler than the air inside. Opening windows when it’s hot outside will certainly suck out cooled air from your home and make the interior feel warmer. However, if the temperature requires some window opening, you can create a breeze by opening the window on the lower floor, particularly on the sheltered side of the home.
7. Set your thermostat properly
Adjust your thermostat setting to a more comfortable temperature and set it to the degree that offers humidity control if needed. The lower the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors, the smaller your overall energy bill. When you are away, keep your house warmer than normal and adjust the thermostat setting when you return and need some cooling.
You can also consider investing in a programmable thermostat, which allows you to adjust the setting automatically without sacrificing your comfort. Don’t adjust your thermostat to a colder degree when you first turn on your air conditioner. This will not cool your house any faster and might lead to excessive cold and increase your energy bills.
8. Use portable A/C
A portable air conditioning device is a great solution for cooling frequently used areas of your home. Since you can easily move around with them, you can have cool air wherever you need it most. Another excellent alternative is a seasonal window system which you can install in the living room to get the most breeze.
9. Keep interior doors open
Leaving your interior doors open, especially if you don’t have a spacious living room, can help keep your rooms cool. Open doors allow free air circulation, cutting out hot spots and regulating the temperature within your house.
10. Install heat-reducing films
Roughly 30% of ambient heat gets into residential homes via the windows on hot summer days. The easiest way to keep off this ambient heat from your home and keep it cool is to tint your windows with reflective, heat-reducing films to control the temperature. As a bonus, these films can make your house warmer during the chilly season.
Endnote
Keeping your home cool during the summer is essential for you, your family, and your pets’ well-being and comfort. Although air conditioners are the most popular solution for hot summer days, they can sometimes require additional help. Simple measures and strategies such as opening windows, using a ceiling fan, or strategizing landscaping can significantly impact your home temperature.