In the heat of the summer, sometimes it feels impossible to stay cool without throwing your AC unit into overdrive. Fortunately, there are loads of little changes you can make to bring some much-needed cool air into your home — and some are as easy as closing your windows!
There is a lot more to keeping your home cool than just lowering the temperature on your thermostat. Read on for our best tips and tricks on how to keep your house cool all summer long!
To put it plainly — blasting your AC is not the best way to cool down your house. At least, it is not the first thing to turn to when you’re looking to cool down your place. Setting your AC at a reasonable temperature is a great foundation to figure out what works for you. There’s no “golden temp” — every house is different!
These tips and tricks can help you save some energy on that electric bill and cool your house in the process!
Changing even one degree on your thermostat over the course of the month will save you electricity. If you leave the house during the day, consider raising the temp — no need to cool an empty house! Keeping your house warmer during the hottest part of the day will save on electricity big time.
If you have a smart thermostat you can schedule the AC to kick back in before you get home and you’ll never know the difference.
It is almost impossible to cool a house after your company arrives. It’s more warm bodies, movement, and air from outside. Your house will naturally warm up as company arrives.
To counteract that, set your thermostat a degree or two below where it normally is. That small buffer is more than enough to balance out the extra warmth entering your home, keeping everyone cool and comfortable throughout the night.
The final variable when it comes to keeping your home cool is you! As long as you are comfortable you can keep your thermostat wherever you please. There are also plenty of ways to cool off your body when you’re feeling a bit too warm.
You can grab a cold drink, throw on some breathable clothes, or start up a standing fan in the room you are in. To take that even further, put a bowl of ice right in front of the fan. It will blast extra cold air into the room, making it feel much cooler.
There is so much more to cooling your house than just the thermostat. Shutting blinds, closing windows, and planting shade are great ways to divert some heat away from your home.
Keeping your home cool during the summer is a multifaceted process. Running the AC and fans brings cool air into your house, but any warm air you can keep away makes it that much easier to cool your place down.
Insulating your house is one of the most important additions to keep it cool during the summer. Without insulation, heat can seep in through every wall in your house, and if that’s the case you’ll be fighting an uphill battle to stay cool. Insulation is king in keeping your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
If you already have insulation — perfect! There is much more to do before achieving the perfect cool interior.
Any sun coming in through your windows is going to warm up your home. Closing your blinds preemptively will block some of those rays, keeping the light and heat from coming through.
If you can tell certain windows are letting in more heat than the rest, getting a thicker or black-out shade will do the trick. Oftentimes sheer, see-through curtains will let some heat in even when they are shut.
Moving to the outside of the house, adding awnings or plants (potted or otherwise) to shade your house keeps some more of that heat from reaching your windows. There are tons of flowers, bushes, and trees to provide some key spots of shade over your bigger windows.
As a bonus — you’ve got some plants! Landscaping can help cool your home and boost your curbside appeal at the same time!
In the summer months, any unnecessary heat in the house should be removed. From the fans to cooking, there are a few things to do that make your home feel cooler without having to change the AC at all.
These tips are easy ways to cool your home and yourself through the hottest months of the year!
The sun is shining, the sky is clear and it’s the perfect time to grill! Cooking — especially using the stove or the oven — generates a lot of heat. When you can, preparing your meals outside will keep your home cooler.
Even if you don’t have a fancy outdoor kitchen you can get creative with your grill! There’s a lot more to it than burgers and dogs.
Often overlooked, switching your overhead fans to spin counterclockwise is a must for the summertime. If they are spinning clockwise they are actually heating up the room instead of cooling it down.
Having airflow in your house can make it feel much cooler, but there’s no need to run your fans all day. Turning one on in the room you’re in is all you need to circulate some extra cool air.
If you have a favorite winter set of sheets on your bed it is high time to change them up! Flannel sheets are cozy and perfect for keeping you warm — not at all what you are looking for on a hot summer day.
Thin, cotton sheets are perfect for the summer to keep you cool and comfortable at night. Feeling hot and sweaty trying to go to sleep is a terrible way to start the night. If you need some extra cooling, a frozen water bottle or ice pack at your feet can give you the boost you need to drift off to sleep.
In the middle of the summer months, the heat can get hard to bear. Coming home to a cool, refreshing house is the perfect reprieve from the outside heat. Regardless of where you set your temperature, helping your house stay cool is a must.
Besides installing insulation, all of these tips and tricks are easy changes to make that yield great results. If insulation is what your house needs, don’t hesitate to call the pros at Honest Renovators for a quote.
