Summer is just about here, and although you might be excited for the hot weather to arrive, is your house quite ready for it? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy lathering it up with sunscreen, handing it a glass of water, and telling it to stay cool. There’s a bit more to it than that. So before summer officially arrives, be sure to prepare your house for the summer heat that it’s about to endure by keeping these 7 helpful tips in mind.
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Source: CM Electrical
Whether you’re using them as your main source of cool air, or you’re pairing them with air conditioning, don’t underestimate the power of ceiling fans. Simply turn your ceiling fans to revolve counterclockwise with the blades tilted upward as they spin. This allows them to push the air downward and create a stronger breeze. A good ceiling fan gives off a nice cool breeze, in addition to helping your air conditioner run more efficiently by pushing the hot air that collects at the top of the room back down toward the AC unit to cool it more easily. If you can’t afford a ceiling fan in every room of the house, at least consider installing them in the rooms with the highest amount of traffic.
Nobody wants to end up stuck with no air conditioning in the middle of the summer! That’s why it’s super important to get your cooling system checked and serviced before the temperatures begin to rise. At the very least, you’ll want to make sure your air filters don’t need to be replaced, and if they do, be sure to change them right away.
Source: Fine Home Building
What’s the point in running the air conditioning if the sun coming through the living room window is radiating heat into the room? It seems a little contradicting, right? Luckily, there are ways to prevent this, or at least minimize it. One common option is to hang blinds and curtains on the inside of your windows. Another is to add exterior window coverings, such as awnings or screen shades. You may also choose to install reflective film over your windows to cut down on the intruding sunshine. Lastly, if you’re installing new windows all-together, consider investing in panes with a low solar heat gain coefficient. They may cost you a bit more upfront, but you’ll be saving on your electric bill!
Believe it or not, your outdoor landscaping can actually affect your indoor heating! By strategically planting trees, shrubs, and bushes outside your windows, you can prevent those windows from allowing excess heat into your home. Therefore, your air conditioning units won’t have to work nearly as hard. In other words, you can save on your electricity bill by simply practicing smart landscaping!
Source: American Air Heating
Installing a programmable thermostat is one of the smartest moves you can make in order to prepare for the summer heat - especially if you’re looking to save a few pennies! These awesome gadgets allow you to set automatic temperature controls for maximum energy efficiency. Set your thermostat at lower temperatures for desired comfort when you’re home, and higher temperatures to save on electricity when nobody is home.
With the increasing temperatures come increasing humidity. Many don’t realize that humidity control is a significant part of home climate control, and while your air conditioners can handle the heat, they may not be able to handle the humidity quite as well. Consider investing in a humidity control system to work with your air conditioner to remove the excess water from the air to keep the air in your home from feeling super humid. Rather, the indoor air will be high-quality and much easier for everybody to breathe comfortably in.
Source: Home Depot Blog
No, this doesn’t mean empty out all the food and wipe down the interior of the fridge. Rather, it means dust off the exterior of the refrigerator and clean up the condensing coils. Refrigerators use a surprisingly high amount of energy, giving off quite a bit of heat. By keeping them clean of dust and clear of clutter, you allow them to operate much more efficiently and stay cool.
