Are you already feeling the heat this summer? Let me start by saying that I’m a little bit jealous because I live in the Pacific Northwest where it continues to be cool and rainy (although, I appreciate that we are getting all this water!!). Despite the record rainfall though, we have been known to get pretty hot here sometimes though and after last year’s record heat, I learned some tricks for keeping cool without spending a fortune on our power bill.
So, yes, you can save money and stay cool this summer with these tips and you might just find yourself able to relax and actually enjoy the weather! Unlike all of those warm summer days when you spend your days stressing about the upcoming bills.
Save Money and Stay Cool This Summer with These Tips
Block Out the Afternoon Sun
The back of my house has the most windows. The back of my house also faces West and boy does it get hot in here in the summer afternoons. Last year I decided to take a drastic step on one of the over 100 degree days and it worked wonders! I blocked out the afternoon sun by adding temporary reflective treatments as well as black out curtains. Just that step alone cooled it down over 10 degrees in my home.
If you are a homeowner, a long term solution to this is to add shade trees to the back of your home. My home has a large cement pad in the backyard so this, unfortunately, isn’t an option for us or else we would be doing this.
Turn off Your Appliances
Do not and I mean do not run your heat producing appliances in the middle of the day. No baking or drying clothes or even toasting food. Those may not seem like much, but I assure you it will add extra heat to your home that you simply do not need.
Turn off the Lights
I don’t know why I didn’t realize it sooner, but keeping your lights turned off helps to cool your home quite efficiently. Many lightbulbs get pretty warm when turned on and yes, that heat travels. Avoid this by keeping the lights off. I keep the window coverings open on the front of my home to be sure that the house stays light
