Top Tips to Keep Your Home Cool This Summer

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Make Better Use of Window Treatments

A great way to keep cool this summer is to close your blinds when the sun comes up. Up to 30 percent of unwanted heat enters our homes through the windows. This is because heat and sunlight can penetrate the glass. If you make sure to use your window treatments during the hottest times of the day, you can cut down on the amount of heat entering your home and reduce the need for air conditioning.

You could even consider purchasing reflecting blinds to block out the sunlight more effectively. When nighttime falls, open the windows and allow the fresh air to flow through the home.

Ensure Your AC is Running Efficiently

You want to ensure your air conditioning unit is in tip-top shape and cooling effectively before the hot summer season arrives. It’s also recommended to routinely change the filters every one to three months depending on the size.

It’s never a bad idea to have a few extra filters in the right size sitting in the closet.

Set Thermostat to Right Setting

If your home is equipped with central air, you can save money on your monthly bills with a programmable thermostat. The higher you set the dial, the more savings you will see.

You can employ the following schedule to maximize efficiency while minimizing cost:

From 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. – set at 75F
From 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – set at 80F
From 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. – set at 75F
Overnight – set at 80F

You can set your thermostat higher when you leave the house and reset it when you return for additional energy and cost savings.

Defeat Attic Heat

Our attics can become saunas on the hottest summer days, which can increase the cost to cool our homes by nearly 40 percent. Making sure your attic has the proper insulation is a great start to solving this problem.

It’s also important to check that our lights, vents, and plumbing are all properly sealed. Lastly, ensure your attic has adequate ventilation and that nothing is hindering the airflow.

Use Sun Blockers

Up to 20 percent of the heat enters your home through your windows. Using curtains or blinds to block the sun is a great way to mitigate this effect.

When it comes to the exterior of the home, awnings or planted trees are a great way to prevent the amount of direct sunlight that is hitting your home and will help cool off the home.

Get Cooler Lights

Replacing your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents is another way to reduce heat.

Compact fluorescents use roughly 75 percent less energy while producing around 90 percent less heat.

Patch Up the Ducts

Your air conditioning will operate less effectively if you have leaks in your ducts. Some areas of the ductwork are more susceptible to leaking than others – especially the return plenum, this is where the trunk link connects with the branch ducts, and where the ducts attach to outlets.

It’s also important to ensure that the ductwork that runs through your hot attic has the proper insulation.

Seal Air Leaks

Air leaks allow hot air and humidity to enter the home and will affect how your air conditioning unit does its job. You can fill any leaks with exterior-approved silicone caulk and expanding foam insulation.

Focus on areas like the attic, and basement, along with anything that runs through the home like pipes, electrical, and ductwork. Window frames and door frames are also common spots for leaks.

Contact the Pros

If you implement the tips above into your cooling regimen, you’ll notice a more efficient and effective cooling process in your home, along with saving costs on your utility bills. The experts at ThermEnergy have the knowledge and expertise to have your home cooling properly and keep it that way. When the next heat wave arrives, don’t sit there wondering how to make your room cooler, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help!