Seven Ways to Beat the Heat at Home

Posted by Julie Mayfield on July 27, 2011 in Empower Yourself

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I always have a hard time remembering which way my ceiling fan is supposed to be turning, so yesterday I looked it up: counterclockwise in the summer, clockwise in the winter. I realized that my bedroom’s ceiling fan was turning clockwise, so I switched it. This morning my husband complained that he was cold.

Honestly, that little change made the room feel ten degrees cooler. It was also a good reminder that little things can make a difference when you’re trying to beat the extreme heat that much of the nation is experiencing this summer. Here are six other things you can do right now that will have you feeling cooler right away.

Close the blinds.

Any time you notice sun streaming through a window, use the blinds as a barrier to prevent the sun from warming the room. This will be especially helpful with windows facing south and west. Plus, by keeping that heat out, you’ll save your air conditioner extra work and save yourself some money.

Give your appliances a break.

Anything you have to plug in or turn on will add heat to your home and run up an electric bill that is probably already more than usual. So, during times of extreme heat, consider:

Washing and drying dishes by hand.
Hanging clothes to dry (you can even do this inside).
Powering down computers, TVs and ceiling fans when they’re not in use.
Turning off lamps and overhead lights during the day, when natural light is available.
Cooking with a grill, slow cooker, or microwave instead of an oven (which puts off more heat).

The less heat you create in your house, the easier it will be for you to stay cool and save money.

Time the use of appliances.

When you do use your appliances, do it during the early morning or evening hours when the temperature outside is cooler. You’ll feel the effect of the heat less, and depending on your utility company, you might save money for avoiding peak-hours.

Clean or replace your air conditioner’s filter.

A clean filter may not make your house feel cooler, but a dirty filter will make your window unit or HVAC system work harder to cool the space, costing your more. While a good rule of thumb is to change your filter every three months, you may want to do so more frequently when your unit is running more often.

Schedule an HVAC service.

Having your unit serviced routinely can save you money down the road. A routine service call is not only cheaper than an emergency call, but a good technician can clean and replace filters, add coolant, and check air ducts, all of which will help your system operate more efficiently and keep you cooler and richer.

Check your doors and windows.

Take time now to go through the house and make sure all doors and windows are closed and secured. If you have a habit of leaving your garage door up, close that too, as it lets heat into the house.

And what about your fireplace damper? If you forgot to close that last winter, it can be yet another source of unwanted heat.

How have you stayed cool through this summer heat wave? Have you found any ways to save in the process? Share your tips in our comments section below.

Julie Mayfield is a freelance writer and blogger who writes about everything having to do with personal finance. She shares money saving and debt reduction tips on her blog, The Family CEO. When she’s not reading or writing about money, you can usually find her hanging out with her friends and family and cheering on the Kansas Jayhawks.