10 Easy Tips to keep a Cool Home

During the summer, keeping a cool home may be challenging for many. In more tropical environments, such as Florida, staying comfortable and running your air conditioning may lead to very expensive monthly electric bills. Below are 10 quick tips to keeping a home cooler during the summer, so that you don’t have to run your air condition continuously.

1)    Change air filters frequently. This will keep your air flow smooth and keep your coils clean. This will also extend the life of your air conditioning unit.

2)    Keep televisions and lamps at a distance from your air conditioning thermostat. Having them close by your thermostat will keep your air condition running more than needed from the false heat it produces.

3)    Install ceiling fans & use box fans. Producing air flow can keep you cool in your home and also reduce your heat index by 1%.

4)    Have your attic insulated. Excessive heat is stored in the attic and will keep a home hotter than needed. By insulating the attic this can reduce the heat and keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

5)    Shade your outside with trees, vines, and shrubs. Doing so will limit the heat coming into the windows.

6)    Use fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs. This will use a fifth of the heat and energy.

7)    Air dry dishes. Drying dishes instead of using the heat dry function will keep your air from turning on to cool your home.

8)    Take showers instead of baths. Make sure that you use the fan to keep the humidity out of the bathroom.

9)    Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 115 degrees. A little adjustment on your water heater can save big bucks in the long run on your electric bill.

10) Caulking and weather-stripping. Keep the cool air inside instead of cooling the outside. Check around the doors and windows; and caulk needed areas and replace weather-stripping where needed, may result in a home that will not leak cool air.

Using these 10 easy tips can help you reduce the heat in your home. This will keep you from having to run your air condition often and reduce the amount you will have to pay on your monthly electric bills.

 - Donna Foute 2013