Heating and cooling costs can eat up almost half of your household budget.
There has to be some way to cut down on this large chunk of your bank account without succumbing to the heat of summer. Luckily, there are several ways you can cut your air conditioning costs this summer while staying clear of the heat that comes with it.
Plant Around Your Home
A lot of the heat that builds up in your home comes from direct sunlight. A great way to cut back on the amount of sun shining directly into your home is by planting trees and other leafy plants outside. The addition of these trees will help block the direct sunlight that heats up your home, and it will keep your property looking beautiful for many years to come.
Keep Your Windows Shut
When the weather starts warming up, we love to open our windows and air out the house. Unfortunately, once the summer heat sets in, these open windows are invitations for the warm air outside. The old habit of putting a fan in your window to help cool off is actually doing more harm than good. So help keep your home cool by closing those windows when the thermometer starts climbing a bit too high. Open them up when the sun sets and the cooler nighttime air begins creeping in.
Eat Cool Food
No, we aren't talking about eating the latest trends in food, but eat food that is actually cooler. Fruit salads are a perfect dish to enjoy on a warm summer day. By consuming the lower temperature food, you are enabling your internal body temperature to remain lower and keep you cooler. Cooler food also requires little or no cooking, which will also help keep your home much cooler.
Program Your Thermostat
Many of us have programmable thermostats in our home. The problem many of us face is programming it correctly. Pay attention to the times that your family is up and at home. Those are the times your thermostat should be set a little lower. If you are going to be gone for awhile or when your family is asleep, be sure to set the thermostat a bit higher. These little changes can save you upwards of 15% on heating and cooling costs.
Smaller May Be Better
Central air conditioning is one of the great conveniences of the modern era, but it is also a very costly convenience. Think about shutting off the central air occasionally in favor of smaller window AC units or even a few fans. A window AC unit uses the fraction of the energy a central air conditioning unit does, and it focuses on the areas where people actually live and play. Strategically placed box fans can do wonders for keeping your home cool, and they use even less energy than window AC units.
Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are not only a great design addition, but they can actually help you feel cooler in the summer. Today's ceiling fans are inexpensive and easy to install, so next time you are looking at AC units, check out the ceiling fans too. As an added bonus, they can help you warm up during the cool winter months.
