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Cooling Your Home For Less Is a Breeze

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When summers get as hot as this one, it’s difficult to imagine what people did before air conditioning. Here is some information on figuring out how to most efficiently cool a home.

If you’ve gotten your latest electric bill, you may already suspect that Americans spend more than $22 billion a year on electricity to cool their homes with air conditioning.

A floor fan uses only 100 watts on the highest speed, and ceiling fans use only 15 – 95 watts depending on speed and size. A window unit AC uses 500 – 1440 watts. With just a little bit of planning you could start to bring those power bills back down to size.

A ceiling fan cools you by triggering evaporation from your skin. Using a ceiling fan will make you feel anywhere from 3 – 8 degrees cooler.

Here are a few other tips:

  • Make sure your doors and windows are well sealed.

You’ll pay a lot more to cool your home when the cold air escapes easily. Replacing old windows and adding insulation helps tremendously.

  • Keep direct sunlight out

Direct sunlight can raise room temperature by 10 – 20 degrees. Drapes block sunlight and heat better than blinds.

  • Use solar screening

It reflects much more sunlight than regular screening and can block 60 – 70% of heat from sunlight.

  • Use reflecting film on your windows

Reflective film bounces the sun’s heat from your windows and can block 40 – 60% of heat.

  • Use less light

Replace your lights with compact fluorescent bulbs which use 75% less energy and create 70 – 90% less heat at the same time.

  • Delay your chores

Your dishwasher, washer, and dryer give off heat when they’re in use, so run them in the early morning or late evening.

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