Keeping Your Home Cool This Summer

Ah, summertime. Days are spent poolside, barbequing, and for a lot of us, going broke from our electricity bill. Hot, midwest summers show no mercy, especially on our bank accounts, so it’s important to do everything we can to lighten the load we put on our air conditioners. There are several things you can do to keep your home or apartment cooler without having to constantly run the air on its lowest setting. Check out these tips to beat both the heat and your energy bill this summer:

• Keep the blinds closed. It may seem obvious, but keeping shades, blinds, and curtains closed can lower the temperature in your home up to 20 degrees. 30 percent of unwanted heat comes from your windows, and closing the shades essentially prevents your home from becoming a greenhouse.

• Use fans the right way. If your ceiling and portable fans don’t seem to be much help, there’re a few things you can try to make them more useful. In the summer, ceiling fans should be adjusted to run counter-clockwise, which creates a wind-chill breeze effect that will make you feel much cooler. Next, try placing a bowl of ice or an ice pack angled in front of a large fan. The airflow created by the fan will pick up the coldness from the ice, delivering a frosty draft in the direction you choose. Lastly, turn on your bathroom fans. These are designed to pull in hot air and direct it up and away from your home.

• Use fluorescent lighting. 90 percent of the energy used by traditional incandescent light bulbs is turned into heat, which is then emitted into your home. Fluorescent lamps use less energy and give off less heat, which can keep your home feeling cooler while lowering energy usage.

• Cook outside. Be aware that operating a stove, oven, dishwasher, or other appliance that generates heat will make your home significantly warmer. Invest in a grill if you don’t already have one and cook outside during the summer months. And no, using a grill doesn’t mean you can only eat burgers and hot dogs every day. Check out these recipes for dishes you didn’t know could be prepared on a grill here.

• Clean your A/C filter. You should be changing your air conditioning filter regularly anyway, but it’s especially important during periods of extreme heat. More air is being cycled through your home, which means more dirt and grime is caught by the filter. A clean filter allows air to ventilate through your air conditioning unit more easily and efficiently, which will save you energy costs.

Implementing one or more of these tips can significantly drop the temperature in your home and save you money on bills. Bear in mind, however, if you have structural issues or leaks in your roof, siding, windows, doors, etc., your house may feel like a sauna regardless of what you do. For installation, repairs, or more information about keeping your home cool, contact the home exterior experts at Blackstone!