With the calm summer nights spent outdoors with friends and family often come higher temperatures and even higher energy costs. Although remaining cool and comfortable indoors sometimes seems like a big expense, it doesn’t always have to be. From hiring skilled professionals to switching the setting on your ceiling fan, the Teresa Cowart Team has a range of ways to prepare your house for summer.
When it comes to cooling your home, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort to stay within your budget. A simple changing of habits can help ventilate your home. Consider opening windows and doors to let outside air in. You might even place a box fan or a damp towel on each windowsill or below each doorway to make sure cool, fresh air is circulating. To prevent overusing your air conditioner, make sure your unit is turned off when letting the outdoor air in.
If you live in a humid, muggy area like we do, ventilating with outside air isn’t an option, and leaving the air conditioning on is a must. To preserve cold air, minimize your coming and going from the house so as to keep as much cool air inside as possible. In that same vein, checking for ventilation leaks around your doorframes, windows, and attic can save you a lot of money in energy costs. If you happen to find a draft along the perimeter of your home, make sure to seal it with caulk or weather stripping so as to maximize your unit’s potential.
While the sun is high in the sky, it's beneficial to close insulated drapes or shades around windows that are receiving direct sunlight. Installing awnings or planting fast-growing trees around your home’s exterior can create natural shade while adding a bit of curb appeal.
At the start of the season, consider cleaning out your air conditioning unit by washing or vacuuming the inner filter or replacing it with a new one, cleaning leaves or other debris from the unit’s exterior, and hosing off accumulated dirt or grime. It would also prove beneficial to hire a professional to inspect and make sure your unit is working at its optimum capacity.
Beat the heat with décor and organizational tactics by filling your space with lighter, brighter accessories and natural elements to bring the outdoors in. When organizing, make sure to place heat-producing devices like lamps and TV sets away from the thermostat as they cause it to read a higher temperature, thus running your unit at a higher level than necessary.
In the end, if these tips and tricks don’t help your home reach the desired temperature, purchasing a new air conditioning unit might be necessary. When shopping, look for units with Blue Energy Star Labels. These signify units that use less electricity, saving you more money in the long run.
