Eight great low-cost ways to cool your home
Shut out the sun and stay cool and comfortable without draining your wallet on air conditioning bills.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Keep the sun out of the picture for a comfortably cool home. (Photo by Lain Buchanan/Flickr Creative Commons)
Summer is here and temperatures have reached triple digits. So if you’re looking for ways to stay cool and comfortable without draining your wallet on air conditioning bills, read on to soak up ideas for turning the AC off, cooling your house down and plumping your wallet up.
- Make good use of portable fans. Placed throughout the house, they are a good source of air circulation. According to SDG&E, “a fan costs only 2¢ an hour to operate, versus 80¢ an hour or more for central air conditioning.” But, be sure to turn them off when you are not home to conserve on cost.
- Keep your home cool by keeping the sun out. Close up the windows, shades and curtains throughout the morning and early afternoon hours. Open them up again when that evening breeze starts kicking up and let the fresh air in.
- If possible, avoid heating up your kitchen by using the oven. Opt instead for meals that can be served straight from the fridge (cold cut sandwiches and potato salad) or be heated up in a microwave, crock pot, or toaster oven.
- Look for exterior shade opportunities. Decorative awnings will offer relief on a window that bears the brunt of a powerful afternoon sun. Or leafy trees can be strategically potted or planted in front windows for some extra shade.
- Clear away weeds and debris from the exterior of your home. If air is unable to properly circulate outside the house; it won’t be able to adequately cool the inside of your home with refreshing breezes.
- Strive to complete any “warm” tasks either in the very early morning or late evening hours. Taking hot showers, ironing, and running the washer and dryer are only going to add to the already hot surroundings. The same is true of lamps. Whenever possible, turn off lights in your home to save on cost and to minimize heat.
- Look for cracks and crevices throughout your home. These hard-to-see fissures can be found around windows and door frames and can be easily discovered with just the touch of a hand. If the area is warm to the touch or air is pressing in, then caulk or weatherstrip the spot to ensure that heat can’t slip in.
- Consider upgrading the insulation in your attic. There are numerous incentive programs available that will reduce cost and ramp up your home’s cooling efficiency. To learn more, check out the Department of Energy’s online information guide.
Kerri S. Mabee can be reached at ksmabee.swrnn@gmail.com with comments or questions. Follow me on Twitter at SWRNNaelife.
Tags: air conditioning, cool your house, department of energy, Kerri S. Mabee, sdge, summer, SWRNN
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