The hot days and nights of summer will likely convince you to turn your home’s air conditioner on more often, and this could quickly increase your cooling bill. You probably want to keep your energy expenses to an absolute minimum this summer without having to suffer through the heat. Here are some simple things that you can do around your home to save money and still stay cool.
Cook Less Indoors
Cooking inside your home can quickly raise the temperature and create stifling conditions indoors. Summer is an ideal time of year to get out the barbeque grill and prepare foods outdoors to keep your home’s interior cool and comfortable. Any excuse to fire up the grill and have delicious meats is a good one. So take full advantage of the situation!
You can also eat more food items that don’t require cooking. Or even order takeout meals from restaurants more often. This will help prevent the inside of your home from overheating and reduce energy costs.
Patch Up Holes and Other Unnecessary Openings
Holes, cracks, and other openings may have formed around certain parts of your home because of damage. Your air conditioner might be wasting more energy because of these breaches. The heat from the outside takes any opening as an invitation to come inside. Not to mention the potential airflow that can slowly siphon the heat away.
If you want to keep more of the cold air inside your home, getting these openings repaired can help keep the energy from escaping. If your home has any openings, spray polyurethane foam from Everest Systems or another supplier can be applied to seal these openings. Once the holes have been sealed, your home will be able to keep the heat out and the cool air in.
Use Misting Fans
A misting fan offers a better alternative to the standard pedestal fan and can deliver additional cooling power by emitting mist while blowing out air. Many misting fans are similar in design to standard pedestal fans, but there are also handheld misting fans that can be purchased inexpensively for personal use. Wall-mounted and tower misting fans are available as well.
The only downside to misting fans is that if you live in a humid environment, they will likely not help much. If you live in the desert, they can help a lot, but only for a time. Once the air is fully saturated with humidity, they will stop helping. So use a misting fan with caution. Remember that the heat has to go somewhere, with a misting fan, where does it go?
Plants
Certain plants are known to provide natural cooling energy that may help you limit the use of your air conditioner and cut your cooling costs. Spider plants can keep you from breaking a sweat inside your home thanks to their plentiful slender leaves that help block out a lot of the heat.
Aloe vera plants are known to release cool oxygen and can act as natural air conditioners. Other plants that may help keep your home’s interior from overheating include areca palms, peace lilies, and anthuriums. So go green, and keep it cool at the same time: buy a plant.
Summer shouldn’t have to be a time of year when your energy costs increase dramatically and the inside of your home feels like an oven much of the time. You can cut your cooling costs without having to sweat it out inside your home if you use the right cooling methods. Try these four methods out and see what they can do for you. You may be surprised at how effective they can be.
