The cost of the energy needed to keep your home cool increases just as much as the temperatures this summer. While homeowners across the country come to depend on air conditioners to keep the temperature down during the warm summer months, there are other options that will keep you cool while keeping your energy bill low. Fundamentally, the idea behind cooling your house without using so much air conditioning is by minimizing sources of heat and removing built-up heat from inside. Here are some helpful tips

1. Cut back the transfer of heat through the roof and walls. If the attic isn’t already insulated or is underinsulated, insulate your attic now. This will give you the greatest change in comfort for the least amount of expense.  Weatherize your home to reduce the loss of conditioned air; this is done by using caulk and weatherstripping to cut back on the transfer of air.

2. Fans and ceiling fans can be a great investment for your home. This could be one of the best ways to beat the heat. This one appliance can make a room feel 6 or 7 degrees cooler, and even the most power-hungry fan costs less than $10 a month to use if you keep it on for 12 hours a day. Good fans make it possible for you to raise your thermostat setting and save on air-conditioning costs. Fans don’t use much energy, but when air is circulating, it feels much cooler. Ceiling fans are best, but a good portable fan can be very effective as well. You should remember that even mild air movement of 1 mph can make you feel three or four degrees cooler.

3. Shades, drapes or blinds keep the heat out.  Install white window shades, drapes or blinds to reflect heat away from the house. Close blinds, shades and draperies facing the sun (east-facing windows in the morning and west-facing windows in the afternoon) to keep the sun’s heat out and help fans or air conditioners cool more efficiently. Overhangs, patio overheads, latticework, awnings—all of these work as well.

4. Install inexpensive heat reflecting window film that face the sun. This will keep your house cooler and reduce glare and ultraviolet rays that damage furniture and floors. For the hot Pembroke Pines climate, sun-control types are most effective, but be aware that they will reduce the amount of light that comes in through the windows. 

5. Closely monitor the temperature both inside and out with an indoor/outdoor thermometer. When it is cooler outside, open up windows and doors to ventilate. (Be sure your windows and doors have adequate screens to prevent an influx of bugs.) And arrange furniture and drapes so they don’t restrict airflow. If you have operable skylights or transom windows high on walls, open them to let out super-heated air and create convection currents. 

6. Avoid Internal Heat. The most common sources of internal heat gain are; appliances, electronic devices and lighting. Be aware of devices in your home that are generating heat.  Don’t put lamps, televisions or other heat-generating appliances next to your air-conditioning thermostat, because the heat from these appliances will cause the air conditioner to run longer. The heat they produce will make the thermostat think your house is warmer than it really is, and your system will run harder than it needs to.

You should also try to avoid heat-generating activities such as cooking on hot days or during the hottest part of the day. If you are cooking, use your range fan to vent the hot air out of your house. Even better, when it’s time to cook, opt for the barbecue instead of the range.

Unless you absolutely need them, turn off incandescent lights and heat-generating appliances. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents; they produce the same light but use a fifth the energy and heat.

By reducing the amount of heat in your home, you will use less energy to cool it.

7. Plants provide shade from the outside.  Trees, large bushes, and vines can provide shade and cooling evaporation.  Make sure you plant trees or shrubs to shade air conditioning units, but do not block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses less electricity. Deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides will keep your house cool in the summer and allow the sunlight to warm the house during the winter.  Avoid landscaping with lots of unshaded rock, cement, or asphalt on the south or west sides of your home because it increases the temperature around the house and radiates heat to the house after the sun has set.

8. Reduce indoor humidity. Humidity makes room air feel warmer so use dehumidifiers. Minimize mid-day washing and drying of clothes, showering, and cooking. When you must do these things, turn on ventilating fans to help extract warm, moist air, but be sure to turn them off when you’re finished so they don’t extract cooled air from the house. 

Always remember that the best way to keep your home cool is to keep the heat out. If you try all of these measures but are still suffering from the heat, maybe it’s time to consider installing a new air conditioner or buy a newer home. Contact Adrian, he will help you find the perfect home in Pembroke Pines.