Though it’s lovely to have air conditioning during the hottest days of summer, there are still ways to make your home even more pleasant without raising your energy bills. Indeed, you might be able to do this while lowering your energy bills, as you might even be able to turn your air conditioning off for periods of time. There are even ways to maximize comfort stylishly. Read on to learn how.
Run Ceiling Fans Counterclockwise
This astonishingly simple act can be the difference between a house that’s hot and stuffy and one that’s a little cooler and airier. This is because when the fan blades rotate backwards, they push the air down and actually make a bit of a wind chill. In the winter, reverse the rotation to bring warmer air up.
Another trick is to reverse the spin of a window fan during the day. This pulls hot air out of the house and vents it to the outside. If you have two window fans, install one in a window on the cooler side of the house and arrange it so that it pulls air in.
Create Cross Breezes
Opening windows that are opposite each other creates refreshing cross breezes. This works especially well if the windows are in an area of your home that’s shaded or does not naturally get much sun, such as your northern exposure. It’s best to do this at night or in the early morning when the air is still cool. As the air warms, close the windows and pull down shades or blinds to keep out the sun.
Switch to LED Lightbulbs
If you’re still using incandescent lightbulbs, get rid of them and replace them with LED lights. Incandescent bulbs are so inefficient that 90% of their energy is expressed as heat. That heat raises the temperature of your home and makes your AC work harder. You may be surprised that the energy in an LED lightbulb is also converted into heat, but the bulb is so efficient that it’s still cool to the touch. Some LED bulbs, such as the strip lights you can place beneath the wall cabinets in your kitchen or the puck lights in a China cabinet, also add a bit of style.
Use Blackout Curtains
Blackout curtains were used during wartime to keep the enemy away. Newer, thermally insulated blackout curtains can keep the heat away. They’re best placed over windows that get flooded with sunlight for hours at a time. By the way, the room-facing panels of blackout window curtains don’t have to be black. They can be as attractive as any other sort of curtain and perfectly complement the décor of a room.
While it’s true that you can program your smart thermostat, turn it on, and forget it, there are ways to keep your home comfortable without sacrificing style. If you live in Denver, CO or a surrounding area and need AC installation services, make your first call to Absolute Electrical Heating & Air.