3 Tips for Keeping Your Home Cool During a Heatwave
When heat waves happen, keeping your home cool can become nothing short of feeling impossible. Soaring temperatures can make your home feel like it’s unlivable, and if you don’t keep cool, it can affect not only your physical comfort, but even your mental well-being. Heat waves can even be dangerous depending on your current state of health and age, which is why it’s so important to keep the temperature down.
And while simply turning up the air conditioner may seem like a simple solution, it’s not always the most affordable or energy-conscious solution. The good news is that there are a plethora of ways to keep your home cool during a heat wave. Here are some of the most effective ways to keep the extreme heat out.
Optimize Your A/C Usage
If you have air conditioning, you want to make sure that you use it strategically. Blasting your air conditioner all day isn’t always the most effective. Believe it or not, setting it to a consistent temperature while following other tips can be even more effective than merely cranking up your air conditioner and relying on that alone to keep the heat out.
Since we are in an energy crisis, relying on your air conditioner alone can lead to astronomical bills, not to mention, you’re contributing to a significant carbon footprint.
Perhaps most importantly, you should make sure that you ensure your air conditioning system is running efficiently. It should be cleaned regularly, and air filters should be replaced as needed. This is because dirty filters produce the air flow, and force your system to work even harder, resulting in even higher bills.
Block the Sun
The sun is more than simply bright light—it’s a major heat source, and something you should block out from entering your windows. During the hottest part of the day, it’s incredibly important that you block out the sun, especially the windows that face the sun directly. Opt for blackout curtains, or even thermal shades which not only block out light but also reflect the heat outwardly. If you have an outdoor space, consider installing external shades that will help minimize sunlight even more.
Ventilate
Creating airflow in your home is essential for keeping your home cool. Open the windows during the early morning when evening temperatures are lower, and let the air flow throughout your house. Cross ventilation can be achieved by opening windows on either side of the house and using fans to help encourage the air flow.
The breeze will flow through your home and push the cool air throughout, getting rid of stagnant hot air. If you have ceiling fans, these can be particularly helpful as these are very effective for circulating air. Otherwise you can place a ban in each room of your air flow path and create a cool chilly wind.
