Summer is here, and that means a hot home!

Did you know: Closing your blinds during the day in the summer can reduce your cooling and electric costs. Radiant heat from the sun can significantly raise your indoor temp and cause you to have to crank up the A/C. Close the blinds during peak sun hours, and watch the savings grow!

While a large majority of homes use air conditioners, we can all save money by using them less.

Let's take a look at some of the best ways to stay cool without using the air conditioner…

We start with the easiest, cheapest tips you can use right now to cool off – and then recommend some home improvements that can help keep your home cooler in the years to come.

These tips can help you reduce your need for air-conditioning, saving both energy and money.

Close your windows

It may seem like the wrong thing to do on a hot summer’s day, but opening the windows will often make your home warmer, not cooler.

Open your windows only at night if the air outside is cooler than inside, and close them – along with blinds and shades – before the sun hits your house in the morning.

Did you know: By placing one fan facing in on the side of your home receiving the wind, and another facing out on the opposite end of the house, you will increase the cooling power of a natural breeze.

When night falls, open windows wide, particularly those oriented toward prevailing winds so you can take advantage of cross ventilation. This will allow cool night air to circulate, and prevent a good deal of the sun's heat from reaching indoors. 

You may also put houseplants – particularly larger potted trees – in front of sunny windows to absorb some of the sun's energy.

Use fans strategically

Ceiling fans can create a pleasant breeze to cool a room significantly.

Be sure that you have the fan running in the right direction since ceiling fans can also be used in winter to create an updraft. In the summer, you should feel the breeze blowing down.

Did you know: If you really need to cool off quickly - use water and ice cubes to keep your wrists cool; since your blood vessels are so close the skin, you'll feel cooler by applying cold directly to your blood.

And remember: ceiling fans cool people not rooms, so turn it off when you leave the room.

If you're buying new ceiling fans, make sure you buy Energy Star ceiling fans that use 50% less energy than comparable models – a choice that will pay off in the long run, as you can appreciate the longer you keep your fan running.

Stand-alone fans placed directly in front of you, it's no surprise, help keep you cool. Add in a spritz bottle and you can dramatically change your temperature; as the water evaporates off your skin, your body sheds heat.

Take a cold shower or go for a swim

It may sound obvious, but it's worth saying: If you're hot, cool off your core temperature by immersing yourself in cold water.

Pull up a lawn chair or hammock under your favorite shade tree and relax! The temperature under the shade tree can be up to 20 degrees cooler than standing in the direct sunlight.

Unless there's 100% humidity, the evaporation of water off your skin will further cool you once you emerge from the water.

Install ceiling insulation

While ceiling fans may not help significantly to cool your home, ceiling insulation can help a lot.

Insulation keeps cooler air in your home from escaping through the ceiling. If you have central air-conditioning, also seal ducts – especially at vents and registers, where you could be losing up to 20% of you cooled air.

Plant trees and large shrubs strategically

Your house gets hot because the sun beats down on it relentlessly during the hot summer days.

Get rid of incandescent lights Not only do they use more energy, they generate a lot more heat than CFL or LED light bulbs.

Let nature help reduce your energy bills by planting deciduous trees on the east and west sides of your home.

In the summer their broad leaves will shade your house, while during winter they will allow sunlight to warm up your home.

Also consider planting trees or shrubs to shade high-heat areas – air-conditioning units that emit heat, for instance, and driveways and walkways that absorb it.

Of course, sitting under a shady tree on a hot summer day isn't a bad way to pass the time, wherever the tree stands!

Install awnings or a pergola

Just as window shades and shrubbery work to shield your home from the sun's rays, awnings can save you money on energy bills by cutting down on the heat your house absorbs.

This is an great investment for cooling down your home and enhancing your entertainment area. 


Article courtesy of: www.home-dzine.co.za