KEEPING COOL IN THE SUMMER HEAT!!!!!!!!

The summer heat is a welcome blessing for beach goers, but it’s not so welcome in the home. Hot nights make it hard to sleep and few people want to face a high bill from using the air conditioner constantly. These tips will help keep your home cooler and reduce energy costs.

1 - LET THE COLD AIR IN:

In most places, the air does cool down throughout the night, especially in the wee hours of the morning. Take advantage of this by opening the windows in all of the rooms of your home. This will cool down the entire house.Opening windows at opposite ends of the home will create natural air flow. Placing box fans in the windows can help pull that cold air into your home when there isn’t a natural breeze outside.

2 - KEEP THOSE WINDOWS CLOSED:

It might seem counter-intuitive, but once you wake up in the morning, you want to close all of the windows to prevent hot air from coming into the home.Using blinds or curtains to block out the heat also works. Even if hot air isn’t directly coming into your home, the sun beating down on your windows can create a greenhouse effect. White blinds reflect the sun away from your home.

3 - MAKE USE OF FANS:

A breeze can make it feel cooler than it really is, so don’t be shy about using your fans, even if you’re using air conditioning as well. If you’re using a box fan or a standing fan, place a bowl of ice water in front of it. This will give you a much cooler breeze.You should also check that your ceiling fans are rotating counter-clockwise. Most modern fans have two settings—one that blows down air, and the other that causes it to rise.

4 - CLOSE OFF UNUSED ROOMS

If you’re not using a room, close the duct vents in that room and keep the door closed. This reduces the area you need to cool, which saves energy whether you’re using an air conditioner or not. Remember that hot air can seep through under the door, too, so throw a rolled-up towel at the bottom of the door or purchase a door draft stopper. These products come in a variety of styles, and they’re good for use in the winter as well.

5 - KEEP COOKING TO A MINIMUM

Anything you do that uses heat will increase the temperature in your home. Cooking is one of the biggest culprits. Consider cooking out on the grill rather than using the stove. If you must use the oven, keep it closed the entire time, checking your food through the window instead of opening the door. Save oven cooking for the evening or watch the weather report for a cooler day. The steam that comes from your pans can add to the humidity in the home, so be sure to use the stove fan and keep lids on your pots for most of the cooking time.