Ways to Keep Your Home Cool so Your AC Doesn’t Work so Hard

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Now that the sizzling summer heat is almost upon us, our thoughts turn to keeping our homes cool. For many of us, that means flipping a switch on our air conditioners and letting the equipment do the work to reduce interior humidity and heat.

While it’s almost unheard of that most homeowners don’t have some sort of air conditioning system, there are lots of tricks to help your air conditioner not overwork to put a strain on the unit.

Having air conditioning is a simple solution to cool your house but finding the best method that will cool your home, keep it dry and save on energy bills is an important factor in determining how to operate your system.

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Use AC only when required

If you don’t need the air conditioning on, don’t leave it on. If you’re going downstairs, for example, you should turn off the AC upstairs. Turn off your AC whenever you leave the house too.

Install A Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat is a perfect way to make sure that you’re not overusing your air conditioning system. A self-programming smart thermostat can adjust itself based on the temperature in the room. In addition, some newer thermostats can even detect motion in a room and adjust themselves accordingly.

Keep Your Blinds Closed

This is the simplest advice offered for reducing incoming heat into your home. As noted by the Family Handyman, up to 30 percent of unwanted summertime heat comes from your windows.

By utilizing shades and curtains, you can keep the house cooler while saving up to 7 percent on bills. Closing blinds and curtains prevent your home from becoming overheated, especially in the case with south and west facing windows.

Blackout Curtains

One step up from closing your curtains and drapes is to invest in blackout curtains. These curtains block sunlight out completely, naturally insulating the rooms in which they are installed.

It is recommended to invest in neutral coloured tones with white backings to repel the sun and reduce heat inside by up to 33 percent.

Ceiling Fans

If you have ceiling fans, now is the time to make the seasonal adjustment to your fans for the oncoming summer months. Many people don’t realize it, but ceiling fans generally have a two rotation system, clockwise and counter-clockwise.

Setting your ceiling fan/s to run counter-clockwise at a higher speed will increase the airflow and create a chill breeze effect that helps to keep your home cooler and more comfortable.

Close Off Doors

By closing off doors to unused rooms, this tip will help to keep the house cooler because it prevents cool air from permeating these areas during the hottest part of the day. In the nighttime, you’ll want to take advantage of the cooler night hours, so letting air flow naturally through the house will help cool it down and set you up for the upcoming morning heat.

Keep Cool This Summer

There are a few more tricks you can use to keep your house cool this summer, like swapping your sheets and turning on bathroom fans, but the above tips are the main highlights. By following some of these suggestions, your system will run more efficiently and not work so hard. You’ll enjoy a more comfortable home installing an air conditioner allowing for a less hot, sticky humidity being locked indoors.