There are several actions you can take to help keep your home cool without spending a fortune on electricity. As the weather heats up, the need to maintain a comfortable temperature in the home becomes an absolute necessity. Consider the following home cooling tips, as each may help you reduce cooling costs during the summer months.
Keep the hot air out, and the cool air in. This can be accomplished by sealing off any area in which air may enter or exit the home. Weather stripping and caulking around doors and windows may be needed. If your home is not properly insulated, consider changing this.- Change your light bulbs. Incandescent bulbs can produce as much as 75% more heat than the new energy efficient compact florescent bulbs. This change can result in additional savings on energy costs as well.
- Keep your air conditioner in good shape. Units that are struggling to do their job may pull more electricity as they tend to run for longer periods of time in order to cool the home. Routine maintenance and clean filters will allow the system to run in a more efficient manner.
- Use ceiling fans. Doing so will create a constant breeze and help circulate cool air throughout the home. This will help you feel up to five degrees cooler, and may help resist any temptation to lower the thermostat.
- Make sure that all air ducts are properly sealed. Even the smallest opening may allow massive amounts of cool air to escape. Not only will this cool air not be making it into your home, the air conditioning unit will be forced to work hard to reach the optimal temperature.
- Close the vents in unused rooms. Additionally, close the doors to these rooms. There is no reason to cool a room that is not in use. When these vents are closed the air will be forced to bypass that vent and enter the home through one of the open vents.
- Set the thermostat at 78 degrees F and leave it there. This should be easy to do if you are using fans, as well as any of these home cooling tips. Should you find that 79 or 80 degrees F is a comfortable temperature for you, adjust the thermostat accordingly.
- Close blinds or curtains in rooms that receive direct sunlight. Sunlight will quickly heat up a room, and will cause the air conditioning unit to work for longer periods of time.
- If you plan to leave your home for an hour or more, consider turning the air conditioning off. Should you not wish to come home to a home that is hot, set the thermostat to a temperature that will allow the system to come on only when the home begins to get very warm.
- Should you find that your air conditioner needs replacing, opt for a unit that has a high energy efficiency ratio. In the case of central air conditioning units, this number should be at least 13 SEER or higher.
Each of these home cooling tips can help reduce your summertime cooling costs. Consider using several of these methods to maximize your savings. There is no reason to feel uncomfortable in your home while trying to save money.
If you are in San Diego, consider having us perform a home energy audit. This is a great way to save money on energy bills! View our services to learn more.
