Summer

Cooling Strategies for Hot Summer Weather

• Get an Energy Assessment: A home energy assessment will uncover problems and solutions specific to your home.
   
• Turn up your Thermostat (No Cost!): Set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and 85 degrees or off when you are away, especially when on vacation.  Use a programmable thermostat to work with your schedule so that it is a few degrees higher when no one is home to avoid cooling an empty house.
   
• Use Ceiling Fans (No Cost!): Use your ceiling fan so air blows downward on you inside your home. Remember that ceiling fans cool you, not the room, so when you leave the room make sure to turn the fan off to save energy
   
• Curtail Inefficient Appliances and Lighting: Old lighting creates unnecessary and unwanted heat.  Consider upgrading to LED lights.  Get ENERGY STAR or better appliances to avoid the loss of waste heat from old, inefficient appliances.
   
• Replace Air Conditioner Filters: Dirty filters restrict airflow and can cause the system to run longer, increasing energy use. Replace filters at least every three months for maximum benefits.
   
• Service your HVAC System: Remember to have your HVAC system serviced annually to check that it is running at maximum energy efficiency.
   
• Caulk and Close Open Spaces: Air leaks can waste energy dollars year-round.  Caulking cracks and weatherstripping your home will keep cool air in during the summer and cold air out during the winter.
   
• Keep Dampers Shut (No Cost!): Check to see that your fireplace damper is tightly closed.
   
• Have Duct Systems Inspected: Get an inspection to pinpoint areas of concern.  Ducts in crawl spaces & attics are a priority to check.
   
• Add Insulation: Insulate your attic to keep warm air from entering and eventually warming other parts of your home.
   
• Use the Microwave (No Cost!): Using the oven uses more energy and can end up warming your home during the summer months.  Use the microwave instead to use 2/3 less energy and heat the food directly.
   
• Lighten Your Bed (No Cost!): Remove heavy blankets or covers on your bed that were added during the winter.
   
• Decorate your Interior with Lighter Colors: Doing so will make you feel cooler and deflect radiant heat.
   
• Send Humid Shower Air Out: Open the bathroom window while showering to send moist, hot air outside.  Make sure to close the door so that heat doesn’t enter other rooms in the house, and close the window once the room is ventilated.
   
• Ventilate Your Home on Cooler Mornings (No Cost!): Try opening your windows in the morning and closing up before the mid-day heat hits to efficiently cool your home.  If your house is well insulated it will stay cooler throughout the day so you don’t have to rely on your thermostat for comfort.
   
• Install a Whole House Fan: A whole house fan can be installed in your attic to draw cool air into your home through the windows while forcing hot air out through attic vents. Turn it on after sundown when the outside temperature drops below 80 degrees to cool your house and help reduce air conditioning use.
   
• Install Window Shading: Install blinds, patio covers, awnings, and solar window screens to shade your home when the sun is at its strongest.
   
• Close Curtains to Block out Strong Sunlight (No Cost!): Close the curtains and shades of south & west facing windows before leaving for the day to keep the sun's rays from heating your home.  Use white shades and curtains to reflect light and heat.

• Shade your Air Conditioning Unit: Plant trees or shrubs to shade air conditioning units, but be sure to not block airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses less electricity.
   
• Landscape Effectively: Avoid landscaping with unshaded rock, cement or asphalt on the south or west sides. Doing so will increase the temperature around your house and radiates heat to the house after the sun goes down.
   
• Plant a Tree: Mature shade trees not only look beautiful, they can also cut your cooling bills. Check with a local nursery to find out which tress are best to plant for your area.