Keeping Your Home Cool During The Summer

As July moves into August, summer heat can begin to take its toll. Not only is it uncomfortable, but it also can cause your HVAC equipment to work less efficiently in the process.

Yet there are many ways to keep your home cool during the hottest of days. And not all of them require running your AC unit at full blast. With a few tricks of the trade, you can enjoy summer with a cooler home in the process. Here’s how.

Know When To Open Your Windows

When you walk into a warm or stuffy room, it’s tempting to throw open the window. However, it’s only best to do so when you know the outside air is cooler than the air inside your home. Opening windows when it is hot outside will actually make your house feel hotter on the inside. Warm air rises. So you can create a natural draft in your home simply by opening up windows on the bottom level of your home, preferably on the shady side, and windows on the upper level on the hotter side, creating a natural flow.

Ensure You Have Adequate Insulation

Adequate insulation will ensure you stay warm during the winter months; it will also help keep you cool during the summer months. Insulation protects air movement between the inside of your home moving to the outside. That can occur both in the summer and the winter. If your home is adequately protected against the elements, it ensures your conditioned air stays where you intend it, saving you money in the process.

Add To Your Landscaping

What you do outside can impact the efficiency of your inside comfort levels. For example, you should consider planting shrubs and trees near the west facing and east facing windows to provide shade from harsh summer rays. A home that is well protected from the brutal Colorado sun will ensure a cooler temperature on the inside. If your home is new and won’t be covered by landscaping for a few years, invest in high-performance blinds and drapery to perform the same duty on the inside.

Play Your Days

Changing a few of the ways you manage your days can impact the comfort level of your home. Use your cooktop, oven and dishwasher only in early morning or late evenings. If possible, avoid using these altogether on the warmest of days, using the grill or the microwave instead. Likewise, open windows and use fans only when outside temperatures are at their coolest.

If you don’t have air conditioning currently installed in your home, consider having it installed. It can save you more money than window units, and is a great way to ensure your entire property is the same temperature, regardless of what room you’re in or what time of the day it is. We can help you choose an eco-friendly system that will help save you money and be good for the environment as well.