How to Keep Your House Cool in the Summer
Summer heat can rack up a huge energy bill if you run your air conditioner all day. Air conditioning can also lead to global warming through the creation of greenhouse gases which, ironically, lead to the consumption of more cooling and refrigeration. Help the planet and your wallet by using natural and more cost-effective methods to cool the house in the summer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Window screen
- Ceiling fan
- Window awnings
- Plants
- Window film
- White window shades, drapes or blinds
Instructions
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Open your home's windows at night to take advantage of the cooler nighttime temperature. Leave them open until you wake up in the morning. Close windows tightly before the sun rises to trap the evening's cooler air inside. Place screens on your windows to keep insects and other debris out.
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Install and utilize ceiling fans to provide air flow. Keep them on all day during the hottest summer months. Control the settings on the ceiling fan so that you feel a downward draft of air.
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Install white window shades, drapes or blinds to reflect heat and block sun from the house. Keep shades or drapes closed on the hottest sides of the house, which are south and west-facing, to prevent heat from entering the room.
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Give your appliances the afternoon off. Use dryers and dishwashers that generate heat into the room at a later time in the evening. Air dry your dishes instead of using the dishwasher's heater.
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Install window awnings on windows that face the south. Plant trees to shade west-facing windows. Place a plant with a trellis to block the windows on the west side. Apply window films that block the sun on south-facing windows.
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Place box window fans in the windows on the downwind side of the house. Make sure that they are facing out to pull warm air out. Keep interior doors open to provide cross ventilation in the house.
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References
- Photo Credit fan image by Lucy Clark from Fotolia.com
