4 Pro Tips: Best Ways to Cool Your Home
Not everyone has an air conditioner, and even those who do might not want to run them 24/7, even in the heat of summer. Energy bills and the outdoor temperature seem to go up simultaneously, and saving money can ease the discomfort of the hot summer days. The good news is you can go without AC and still avoid living in an oven. There are some simple ways to keep your cool besides using your HVAC using these pro tips for cooling your home.
Close Your Drapes and Blinds
Sunlight coming through the windows can heat up the inside of your home quickly and raise the temperature significantly. That sunshine can also heat up the glass on your windows, leading to ambient heat that also affects your indoor temperature. One way to curb both is by closing your drapes and blinds during the day. Those window coverings block the sun and add insulation to your windows to help keep the heat out.
Avoid Using the Oven and Stove
Cooking is one of the most significant contributors to a hot home in the summer. We know you need to eat, but if you can avoid or cut back on the amount of stove and oven use, you’ll have a better chance of keeping your home cool without turning on the AC. Using your microwave won’t impact the temperature in your kitchen, and a countertop air fryer or toaster oven will also have minimal impact. So use those smaller appliances, when possible, to beat the heat. Plus, you’ll use less energy while keeping your home cooler.
Use Those Fans
Most homes in the South have ceiling fans that can cool off a room quickly without using your air conditioner. Make sure they’re rotating counterclockwise to create a windchill effect to cool the room and increase circulation. Another fan many homeowners forget to use when it’s hot out is the good old bathroom fan. Run them after a shower to vent out the heat and steam so it doesn’t move to other rooms and warm them up. Your bathroom fan can also provide some venting in the evening when the temperatures drop. Open a window and turn on the bathroom fan, and it will help pull cooler air through your home.
Consider a Dehumidifier
Your air conditioner automatically helps reduce indoor humidity as it runs, but your home might feel extra sticky if you’re not using the AC or don’t have one. When the humidity in your home rises, the temperature also does because humid air is very efficient at holding onto heat. Getting rid of some moisture in the air inside your home will help your whole house feel cooler, even if you’re not using air conditioning.
Keeping your home at the right temperature without using your air conditioner for cooling your home can be challenging. But, with a few simple tricks and some advice from the pros, you can cut back on AC use while saving money. For more pro home cooling tips, call your local McCall’s Supply, Inc. team today.