Tips to Keep Your Home Cool in the Summer
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance it’s summer here in Nova Scotia. While air conditioning is a nice luxury to have, there are other alternatives that are low-in-cost to help keep your home cool during the hot season.
Open and shut windows and curtains at the right time of day
On really warm days, shut windows and curtains to help keep heat out. Open them in the evening to let cool air in. If you have unoccupied rooms in your house that are difficult to keep cool, shut the door to these areas so they don’t heat the rest of your house.
Close your blinds
Did you know windows can let in over 25 percent of heat? During peak sun hours, keep your blinds or curtains shut to help block out the heat.
Set your ceiling fan to counterclockwise
As you look up at your ceiling fan, the direction of the blades should be counterclockwise. This helps create a downdraft that gives you that cooling breeze. Remember to switch it to clockwise for the winter months to better circulate warm air around the room.
Think about what you eat and how you prepare food
Keep well hydrated and consider eating cold foods such as watermelon, frozen yogurt, sandwiches, or salads. When you need to cook, use your BBQ or a smaller kitchen appliance like the microwave or air fryer. They won’t warm up your kitchen, like an oven or stove.
Control the humidity
An ENERGY STAR® certified dehumidifier can help to keep things more comfortable on really humid days. Portable dehumidifiers are ideal for addressing minor moisture problems, but they are not an alternative for proper ventilation, such as energy-recovery ventilators that are now common in modern homes. Use exhaust fans or open windows when doing activities that produce moisture such as cooking, showering, washing or running the dishwasher. Let the exhaust fan run for about 10 min after showering. Drying your clothes outside won’t add moisture to your home and will save energy.
Install window film
Window film helps reduce energy transfer in your home, meaning less work for your cooling/heating system as it maintains even temperatures year-round. Not only will this help keep your place cooler in the summer, but you’ll save on energy bills.
Air Conditioner
If you have an air conditioner make sure the vents are not blocked with drapes or furniture. Setting the thermostat at the higher end of the range will result in lower air-conditioning costs. Be sure to use natural ventilation of the house at night, when it is relatively cool, and run the air conditioner only when you are home during hot days, with the house closed up.