3 Tips for Staying Cool While Saving Energy and Money
It’s official: summer is here! It won’t be long before the sweltering heat has you running to your air-conditioned home for cover. For many people, this idea is one that incites fear of large energy bills. Fear not! Here are some tips for keeping your home cool this summer without breaking the bank.
Close Your Windows: It may seem counterintuitive, but on hot summer days, opening the windows will often make your home warmer, not cooler. Open your windows only at night if the air outside is cooler than inside, and close them – along with blinds and shades – before the sun hits your house in the morning. This will also ensure that you get the most out of you’re air conditioning use as the cool air will be kept in your home.
Shut off the lights: While modern lightning, like compact fluorescents and LEDs, are more efficient, incandescent light bulbs can produce as much heat as they do light. Energy Star-rated light bulbs produce 75% less heat, so consider that when replacing bulbs. It’s always a good idea to shut off lights to save energy, and on hot summer days, it can also affect the temperature of the room. The same goes for many electronics, so consider unplugging any device that isn’t needed, since even in standby mode, many electronics remain hot.
Install Attic Insulation: While attic fans may not help significantly to cool your home, attic insulation can help a lot. Insulation keeps cooler air in your home from escaping through the ceiling. If you have central air, also seal ducts – especially at vents and registers, where you could be losing up to 20% of you cooled air. While the tax benefits aren’t as generous as they were, you can still get tax credit worth 10% of the material cost, up to $500.
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