Summer months can be unbearable because of the hot weather and high temperatures, even while in the home. There are a few ways you can keep your house cool during these summer months in order to cool down and relax. Although each of these steps require you to modify your home in one way or the other, many of these are free and will utilize the resources you already have on hand. However, there are other methods that will cost you money and it is up to you to decide which methods you want to use to cool down your home.
If you have the financial means, then purchasing a central cooling system is by far the best way to cool down a home rapidly and effectively. This is placed within the home and will have several vents leading to different rooms in the house. That way when you turn it on, you will be able to effectively cool several rooms at once, depending on where the vents are placed. This can be an expensive option but is very effective and will help you beat the summer heat immediately. Be aware that running this for long periods can be costly on your electric bill as well. One method of saving money on your central cooling system is only running it at peak periods of heat during the day and using a cheaper method at night when it is cooler.
A cheaper option to a central cooling system is to purchase an air conditioner. An air conditioner, sometimes referred to as a swamp cooler will sit in a window in your home and filter in cool air into your home. It will usually only cool down the room it is placed in but can cool down the next room if the air conditioner is faced that way and there is nothing blocking it. In order to effectively cool down more than one room with an AC you’ll need to probably purchase more than one so they can be placed in various rooms. It’s important to note that in order to get the best results from your AC, it should be placed in the shade where it can stay cool.
There are ways you can use resources already in place in your home in order to bring down the temperature inside the house. Begin by opening all the windows, as long as they have a screen and the AC or central cooling system is not on. This will bring the breeze into the home and help you feel cooler naturally. In rooms where the sun is directly shining in, be sure to close the curtains to block the hot sun from entering. Darker curtains will block the sun from entering more effectively. If you still want to feel the breeze come in from these windows, an alternative to curtains are dark curtain sheers that will block out some of the sun, yet allow the breeze to move through the sheer material to cool down the room.
The other alternative to beating the summer heat is to use the fans in your home, whether it be a ceiling fan, standing fan or a small clip-on fan. All of these will help you feel fresher during the day, but especially at night while you sleep. These work best at night because the nights are already cooler than the day and the fan can circulate cool air in the bedroom to help you get a good night’s rest without feeling sweaty and hot. Be sure to set your ceiling fan to counter-clockwise for maximum cooling efficiency.
