When the temperatures heat up, it’s natural to turn your attention to any means necessary to make your home comfortable. While that means some form of air conditioning for most people, it’s far from your only option.
Note: even if you rely primarily on your air conditioner to cool your home, there are other things you can do to aid in the process. Not only will that help your home reach your desired temperature, but it can save you money too.
Here are some ideas to consider:
1. Turn on Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans alone won’t cool the interior of your home. However, the breeze a fan creates can help you feel cooler – and that’s exactly what you’re going for. Since ceiling fans won’t actually cool your home, there’s no point in running them when you’re not home. Instead, it’s best to turn them on when you’re actually in the room, such as to fall asleep at night.
2. Open Your Windows
When it’s hot outside, it’s easy to believe that opening the windows will cause more harm than good. But what you’re actually doing is promoting better airflow, which can help cool down your home. Furthermore, when temperatures dip, such as during the evening and nighttime hours, opening your windows can let cooler air inside. Taking this one step further, open multiple windows in your home, especially if you can do so to create a cross breeze.
3. Close Your Blinds
When your blinds are open, it’s easier for sunlight to make its way into your home, leading to a higher temperature. But when you close your blinds, the sunlight stays on the outside looking in. You can add to this protection by using blackout shades in addition to blinds.
4. Plant Some Trees
What does this have to do with keeping your home cool? Well, once again it’s all about preventing sunlight from beating down on your home. Take a few days to monitor where and when the sun hits your home. From there, strategically plant trees to block the sunlight.
Tip: don’t plant the trees so close to your house that they become a safety hazard. Leave enough space between the trees and your structure, as it gives them room to grow. Maybe you use one or more of these techniques, without air conditioning, to keep your home cool. Or maybe you use your AC from time to time (or all the time), but also work these into your daily strategy for keeping your temperature in a comfortable range.
If your AC is failing you for some reason, don’t hesitate to contact us. We don’t want you to suffer through another hot day. One of our service techs can visit your home, diagnose the problem, and provide a solution.
Categories:
DIY Air Conditioning
