Summertime is notorious for high temperatures and even higher electric bills. Cranking up the AC to keep things cool is to be expected, but can lead to extremely high power bills and is far from environmentally friendly. So how does one keep things comfortable without having to rely on AC? The answer lies in thinking outside the box, knowing your home inside and out, and utilizing these tips for AC-free cooling all summer long.
I’m a Huge Fan
Fans of all shapes and sizes are worth their weight in gold when it comes to cooling your space on a budget. In comparison to traditional air conditioners, fans require significantly less energy to run, and the cooler space will ensure that the AC system doesn’t automatically kick in.
When running ceiling fans in your home, be sure to use them efficiently, as incorrect fan usage will do little more than circulate warm air through the room. Ceiling fans should be run counterclockwise in order to cool the air. Making the effort to check that all the fans in your home are spinning correctly will help you relax with a cool home and a low power bill.
Swamp Solutions
A popular alternative to traditional air conditioning units are swamp coolers. Performance studies have shown that swamp coolers use up to 15 to 35% less energy than standard air conditioners, and are able to keep temperatures cooler than fans. Swamp coolers work by recirculating warm air, running it through a water cooling system that then blows out cool air.
Only a small amount of water is required for a swamp cooler to operate efficiently. This means you can rely on rainy days that call for utilizing your sofa covers and a cushion cover in the garden to keep your cooler running smoothly.
Non-Problem-Attic
Attic fans are a great solution to keeping your house cool during those in-between periods when the AC is only used for the afternoon. Instead of using all that juice for the AC, simply turn on the attic fan and let it draw all that heat in the house out through the attic while simultaneously circulating the air throughout. For significantly less cost you can greatly reduce the amount of AC time needed throughout the year.
Curtain Call
Windows may be the visual highlight of any home, but they can be responsible for serious overheating come summer. Pulling back the indoor or outdoor curtain allows heat from outside to enter your home, especially in the height of summer when the sun is beating down on your sectional covers. This will inevitably result in staggeringly high electricity bills thanks to your AC having to work overtime.
Thankfully, the solutions to this situation are simple. You can easily reduce the amount of heat coming in by installing UV filter shades as well as drawing the curtains whenever you leave a room. When heading out for a grocery run or a walk through the neighborhood, do a quick check of your home to ensure that all windows are covered. Your home will feel cooler before you know it, and all with minimal effort on your end.
Just Grill-iant
Anyone that’s spent some quality time in the kitchen knows that cooking up a storm heats things up- literally. Kitchen appliances, especially gas stoves, are notorious for generating excessive heat that’s perfect for frying but less so for keeping your home comfortable.
The simplest solution is also the one that’s most enjoyable: grilling. By taking your prime cuts to the backyard grill, you can cut out one of the main sources of indoor overheating and whip up a delicious meal for your family in one fell swoop. And once the outdoor parties begin, you’ll be spending more time cooking outdoors than in- all good news for your power bill.
Throwing Shade
While pulling off the sectional covers and enjoying an afternoon of sunbathing is nothing short of divine, those same warm rays can lead to some serious overheating indoors.
If the majority of the windows in your home are facing East or West, direct sunlight is an unavoidable occurrence that can turn up the heat in no time.
Establishing external sources of shade is the key to beating the heat. You can install pergolas, canopies, or an outdoor curtain in the backyard or the sides of your home. This will provide windows, glass doors, or skylights protection from the harsh direct sunlight. Adding points of shade not only keeps your home cooler, it makes pulling off the sofa covers and kicking back in your outdoor lifestyle area that much more relaxing.
Insulation Inspiration
Wearing a coat in winter is common sense, so why wouldn’t you provide the same degree of protection for your home? A properly insulated home keeps warm air circulating within all winter long, and by the same metric prevents cool air from escaping in the summer months. The result? A comfortable living space and bills that don’t break the bank.
High quality insulation materials are readily available at any major hardware store. You can either hire a team to install the insulation, which will run you an average of £400, or take on the task yourself if you have the proper DIY mindset. Once summer has drawn to a close and autumn has arrived, you’ll be grateful to already have this money saving ad environmentally efficient measure already in place.
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