Summer house cooling tips

[cool-dudette]

Nowadays, summers are extremely hot… I found this article (by Lisa Pettit) which gives tips on house cooling to help survive the hot summer.

If your typical reaction to the heat wave has been to crank up the air conditioning and turn on every fan in the house, STOP! It could be costing you a fortune.

Efficient and cheap air conditioning

•Use a fan with your air conditioning to push the air around
•Use a thermostat and timer to adjust the temperature so your air conditioning is not cooling an empty house
•Position your thermostat carefully. The heat from appliances such as lamps and TVs can make the air conditioning run longer
•Place your air conditioning unit under trees or shrubs as it works more efficiently in the shade, but do not block the airflow
•Carry out regular maintenance on your air conditioner to make sure it is working efficiently

No air conditioning? House cooling tips

•Open windows and use a fan to move the air around. Still air is warmer than moving air. To keep the air moving around the house keep internal doors open so the air can circulate between rooms
•Fit white or very light coloured shades and curtains to windows which can reflect heat away from the house
•Close curtains or blinds on south- and west-facing windows during the day

Quick and easy ways to reduce the heat

Not all the heat in your home is generated by the weather. You’d be amazed how much heat your home appliances produce. Here are quick and easy ways to reduce the heat:

•Instead of using the drying programme on your dishwasher, let dishes drain and dry on the draining board
•Make sure you turn off computers, TVs and DVD players when not in use. Not only does leaving them in stand-by mode waste electricity, the appliances will continue to give off heat.
•Take a refreshing, cold shower instead of a warm bath
•Reduce the temperature on your hot water thermometer. You’ll save money on your energy bills as you will use less energy to heat the water
•Only use your washing machine or dishwasher when it is full

[Julie Andrews]

great tips

[iced_faerie]

Thanks! This'll really help me out...our house is really hot right now

[bcteagirl]

Bump! Seemed seasonal.

[momg]

keep curtains closed. the sun heats up a room and keeps it hot if the curtains are closed it maybe darker but it will keep the heat out.

[bcteagirl]

If you have easy access to ice, I have heard that ice behind a fan is a good idea.