Beat the Heat: Tips On Keeping Your Home Cool
As summer approaches, the heat and rising temperatures come along with it. A cool living space is essential during warmer parts of the year, providing relief from the sweltering temperatures. Conserving energy and reducing the amount of money you spend providing power for your home should also fall under this priority when considering ways to keep your home nice and cool. Whether you are living in a small studio apartment or a spacious house, these practical tips will help you keep your living space refreshingly cool during the hottest months of the year.
The first thing you can do to combat this issue is to make sure you are utilizing window coverings around your home. Windows are a significant source of heat gain inside of homes, so blocking this channel of heat from coming into your home is a great place to start. Blinds, curtains, or shades are all ideal ways to keep the sun’s rays from entering your home, especially those that are lighter in color so that the heat reflects better, rather than absorb which is an issue that darker colors have.
The next thing you can do to help solve this issue is to implement energy-efficient lighting around your home. Incandescent bulbs generate a significant amount of heat and are also less energy efficient than LED bulbs, which are the most energy-efficient option. Some of the advantages are that LEDs consume less electricity, emit less heat, and have a longer lifespan than incandescent bulbs. With this being said, switching to energy-saving bulbs not only helps keep your home cool, but saves you money on your utility bill as well.
Another option that you can consider is to utilize or install ceiling fans around your home. Ceiling fans are a great way to circulate air around your home, which can help move the cold air coming from the air conditioning to all areas inside your home. During the summertime, you want to set your fan to rotate counter-clockwise to push air straight down, and clockwise in the winter to pull cool air up. Always remember to make sure that you turn them off whenever you are not in the room, in order to save money on your power bill.
In addition to ceiling fans, making sure your home is properly insulated and weather-stripped by sealing gaps around windows and other areas such as cracks or openings, is also beneficial when keeping your home cool. Proper insulation helps keep the cold air from escaping from those areas that were just mentioned, as well as avoiding other issues that can arise such as giving ways for pests to enter your home.
Lastly, staying hydrated is crucial during hot weather when keeping yourself cool. It is important to drink plenty of water in order to regulate and lower your internal body temperature. You can also use water in other ways to keep yourself cool such as applying cold compresses to your pressure points and taking cold showers to withstand turning on your air conditioner. In conclusion, keeping your home cool during the hot summer months is not only about comfort, but also about energy efficiency and cost reduction. By implementing these tips around your home, you can create a refreshingly cool living space while saving money spent on your power bill. Small changes around your home can make a significant difference in maintaining a comfortable and energy-efficient home throughout the summer season.
