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Keeping your home evenly cooled during the hot summer months is key to feeling consistently comfortable, but letting your air conditioning system do all the work by cranking it up high can increase wear on the system and result in steep energy bills.<\/p>\n
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Home Cooling Comfort Basics<\/strong><\/p>\n Of course, your air conditioner in your primary cooling tool, so make sure it\u2019s in good condition\u00a0by having it professionally serviced (ideally before the cooling season gets underway, but better late than never). Replace the filters every few weeks. Programmable thermostats can assist you in keeping your home at a consistent temperature. A moderate 75 to 78 degrees is recommended for when you are home, and increasing it to about 80 degrees when you will be gone for several hours will save energy. You may want to set your home\u2019s lowest temperature for when you sleep, since getting a good night\u2019s rest is crucial to productivity, and almost everyone sleeps more soundly in a cooler room.<\/p>\n Control Sunlight and Electric Lights<\/strong><\/p>\n Full sun shining through windows can quickly elevate the temperature of individual rooms. If your thermostat happens to be in one of those rooms, this will cause the air conditioning to kick in, making the rest of your home uncomfortably cool while it works to bring the hot room down to the set temperature. You can control this by closing curtains and blinds to block the sun. If you have sheer curtains or shades or none at all, installing light-blocking window treatments will be a big help. Exterior awnings and plantings, especially shade trees on the sunny side, can also shield your home from full sun and keep your cooling system from having to work at maximum output.<\/p>\n Incandescent bulbs in indoor lightning produce a lot of heat, raising the temperature of any room where they\u2019re used. Once again, if the home\u2019s thermostat happens to be in a room where lights are raising the temperature, the air conditioner will kick in, creating a cooling imbalance in the home. Solutions to these problems are simple. Don\u2019t leave lights burning when they\u2019re not needed, and replace incandescent bulbs with cooler, more efficient compact fluorescent bulbs or LEDs.<\/p>\n Open Air Flow<\/strong><\/p>\n For maximum air flow through the home, keep doors open and supplement it with freestanding fans and ceiling fans. Utilize your bathroom exhaust fans to draw heat and humidity out of the home after showering and prevent them from seeping into other rooms. Likewise, use the fan in your range hood when you\u2019re cooking to remove heat and humidity from the kitchen.<\/p>\n Appliances<\/strong><\/p>\n Running major appliances can increase a home\u2019s indoor temperature. Wait until you\u2019re ready for bed, when the sun is down and your home is cooler, to run your dishwasher, washing machine or dryer. If possible, don\u2019t use the clothes dryer at all: hang clothes outside to dry instead. Cooking outside on the grill is an enjoyable way to avoid using the stove, which throws off a lot of heat.<\/p>\n Acclimatize Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n Keeping the house extremely cool can make even moderate heat outside seem oppressive. Don\u2019t allow your air conditioner to restrict your movements or cause you to lose out on summer fun. Over the course of a week or two, bump up the temperature in the home so that it\u2019s just cool enough to be comfortable, and minimize the difference with outdoor temperatures. That way, going outside will seem less like walking into an oven, and coming home won\u2019t feel like walking into a refrigerator.<\/p>\n