I suppose the first thing that comes to a person’s mind when considering ways to keep their house cool this summer is to turn on the air conditioner and if you don’t have one, to contact an AC services provider. If your air conditioner is broken then the primary action would be to contact an AC repair technician. While those actions may be at the top of your list, there are actually lots of other things you can do to make your home cooler. Most of them are fairly inexpensive and they will reduce the time and cost involved in running an air conditioner.

Proper ventilation

As simple as this idea sounds, we often forget just how much difference it can make to keep the house closed during the day to limit the hot outside air from coming in. Conversely, remember to open windows at night to allow the cool night time air to come in and cool down the house. This simple procedure makes a huge difference in keeping the house cool.

Window fans

The late evening, night time and early morning cool air can really be capitalized on with the use of window fans. Turn the fans on at night to allow the cool night time air to come and cool down the house. To enhance the coolness of the breeze, place frozen water bottles in front of the fan. Window fans are relatively inexpensive and inexpensive to operate. For multi-level homes, turn a fan around in an upstairs window to create an exhaust vent. Just make sure to seal the window around the exhaust fan or you’ll be wasting your time.

The other side of this is to be sure you’re not working against your goal. It can be easy to leave a fan on all night and then forget to turn it off in the morning. Once it’s warmer outside than it is inside, your fan starts to heat your home instead of cooling it.

Ceiling fans

Ceiling fans can make a huge difference in both the actual and perceived temperature difference of the home. By adjusting your fans’ blades so that the leading edge is higher, it will circulate the cooler air. Although many people purchase ceiling fans for the beautiful aesthetics that they bring to the interior of the house, they are also an extremely functional way to keep the air in your home circulating.

Keep the sun out

Another simple and effective method of keeping the house cooler is to keep the sun and the heat it creates, out. Obviously there are times when you want to enjoy the beautiful sunshine in the home but much of the time; it is wise to reduce the increased temperature that it creates. Closing blinds and drapes can make a significant difference in the temperature of your home.

Additionally, by installing white window shades and mini-blinds around the house you can reduce solar heat gain. Internal shutters and external awnings can all help to reduce the heat that the sun radiates into the house through your windows. Some experts claim that a differential of up to 40-50 percent can be achieved by using these methods to keep the heat of the sun out.

Reduce excess internal heat

The common sources the internal heat comes from are appliances, lighting and other electronic devices. Remember to turn them off when they are not in use. It is easy to forget or even intentionally keep them on for convenience even though they add to the rising temperature of the home and cost you money to keep running. It is also wise to keep these heat producing items away from the thermostat. When they are close to the thermostat, the air conditioner runs longer than normal.

Change your habits from winter to summer

In the winter, we tend to congregate indoors, since it’s quite cold outdoors. Indoor activities tend to generate heat, which works well in the winter. Now that summer is upon us, change your focus outward. For starters, fire up your barbecue a lot more often. Not only is it an incredibly versatile cooking tool, it won’t add extra heat to your home like your oven will. Then, instead of sitting around the dining room table and running the air conditioner, sit outside together and enjoy your meal. It will create great family memories as well as reduce the need to run your AC.

These six ways of keeping your home cooler can greatly enhance your comfort this summer. They will also help reduce your air conditioning bill. There are also lots of additional ways to keep your house cooler, including shade trees. By creating a plan to consistently utilize these strategies, you can enjoy a much cooler summer this year.

Arianna Davis works in a variety of roles for Shafer Services including human resources and marketing. She enjoys writing and fixing things big and small. Shafer Services is a San Antonio HVAC company with years of experience in helping customers with their air conditioning, plumbing and heating needs.

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