Hassle-Free Ways to Cool Off Your Home
Keeping a home comfortably cool throughout the summer months can be an uphill battle, particularly if you don’t want to spend a bundle in cooling costs. Fortunately for budget-conscious households, there’s no need to choose between a cooled-off home and intact finances. There are a number of convenient, cost-effective ways to cool down your home while giving your air conditioner a break and saving yourself a small fortune. So, if you’re looking to turn your home into a comfortable haven from the brutal summer heat, consider taking the following measures.
Servicing Your AC
In order to operate at peak efficiency, your central cooling unit will need to be serviced on annual basis. Additionally, if you live in an area that’s prone to hot temperatures year-round, you may need to have your AC inspected on an even more consistent basis. To ensure that your AC receives the best possible maintenance, make a point of reaching out to experienced heating and cool professionals. While inspecting the unit, seasoned pros will make note of any problems they encounter, swap out parts accordingly and administer thorough cleanings. Although this generally entails spending a little money, regular maintenance is crucial to staving off larger (and pricier) issues down the line, which stands to save you a king’s ransom in repair costs.
Installing Reliable Ceiling Fans
Dependable ceiling fans can serve as invaluable cooling aids throughout the balmy summer months. In addition to helping circulate the cooled air from your AC, ceiling fans can produce a cooling effect of their own. By setting their blades to rotate counterclockwise, you can enable your ceiling fans to produce a cool breeze. This can be particularly helpful in households that lack central cooling or use their AC sparingly.
Of course, this isn’t to say that all ceiling fans are equally reliable. When hunting for the right fans for your home, make a point of being discerning. Any ceiling fans you invest in should feature a wide assortment of rotating speeds, remote control and adjustable blades. Furthermore, ceiling fans aren’t just for inside your home. If your family spends a fair amount of time on the porch or patio throughout the summer, outdoor ceiling fans are liable to prove a worthwhile investment.
Cooking Outdoors
Because of its abundance of agreeable weather, summer is the ideal season for outdoor recreation. Not only do many families engage in copious outdoor exercise throughout the summer season, they also enjoy lounging on the patio and having cookouts. A time-tested summertime staple, cookouts serve as the perfect excuse for outdoor dining and enable adventurous chefs to try new things. As an added bonus, making proper use of your grill can help you maintain a comfortable temperature in your home and save you money on cooling costs.
Oven use can create quite a bit of heat, which serves to make an already-hot space even more sweltering. As such, it’s recommended that you limit oven usage over the summer, particularly during daylight hours. This may entail not being able to make dishes you can comfortably whip up any other time of year, but it also means having ample opportunities to get better acquainted with your grill.
Keeping Your Blinds Closed During Daylight Hours
The powerful heat given off by the summertime sun stands to increase the temperature in your home. So, if you’re prone to leaving your curtains or blinds open during daylight hours, you may want to rethink this whenever summer rolls around. Keeping your window dressings closed during the daytime can relieve your central cooling unit of some of its burden and help your home maintain favorable temps. For maximum sun protection, consider investing in blackout screens and/or curtains. As the name implies, these window dressings are designed specifically with sun blockage in mind.
During the balmy summer months, many of us seek to turn our homes into sanctuaries from the brutal outdoor heat. In most cases, this involves running air conditioners and central cooling units around the clock, resulting in massive monthly bills. While a well-maintained air conditioner should play a role in bolstering your household’s defenses against extreme heat, it needn’t be the only tool at your disposal. By using your AC in tandem with more budget-conscious cooling aids, you can set the stage for massive savings and provide your family with a refreshing summertime oasis.
