Comfortability is expensive. That’s why most people thrive to build their home a heaven (interpretations apply). It soothes and calms our inner stresses and tensions very much. But during summer it is different. Summer really triggers all our buttons at once. Making it impossible to survive weather conditions. That’s why we come up with some cool tricks to use when the heat in your home is excessive.
1. Natural Cooling Methods
In every problem we face, at first, we always take our time to look for natural solutions. Here we are doing the same, which is cost effective and won’t hurt our bank balance much.
a. Close Blinds and Curtains: Blinds are already present for every window in our home. Particularly for windows facing north and west, keep the blinds closed. Doing so will significantly cool your home, up to 30% of unwanted heat enters a home through windows. Indoor temperature can be lowered mainly by closing blinds and curtains in peak sunlight hours. And can reduce energy bills up to 7% by doing proper window treatments. Heat produced by the sunlight can be reduced 40% by using light colored curtains or blinds. Thermal lined roller blinds are very effective. Window films block solar heat gain and protect against glare and ultra violet exposure.
b. Utilize Shade: This is so far the best way to cool your home naturally. Shades by trees, plants and other vegetation can reduce home temperature by 11 degrees in Celsius, for real. Some other tricks are, plant deciduous trees outside and install awnings to windows and walls, to reduce heat gain.By shading trees, you can also win one more advantage, which is, pure air for your entire home.
c. Open Windows: Opening windows at night helps take advantage of the cooler night time temperatures to flush out hot air and bring in cool air. We can also try doing cross ventilation which means opening windows on the opposite sides of the house for a clearer flow of hot and cool air around home. One more suggestion is, try opening windows in the early morning and late evening when outside temperature is cooler.
2. Smart Home Upgrades
There are some home appliances that can do home cooling budget friendly. It is usually the traditional way as well. The first one we are going to discuss below always comes to your mind naturally.
a. Install Ceiling Fans: The fans usually run counter clockwise to push cooler air down and make room temperature cooler. While buying a fan, consider energy efficient models with high cubic feet per minute (cfm) ratings. Ceiling fans are cost effective, because they use less electricity than air conditioners. They also help increase home air circulation, and make it more comfortable. By releasing less carbon into the atmosphere, ceiling fans become more eco friendly than AC’s. The average life of a ceiling fan is 15 years, making them more durable than any other home cooling machines. Another advantage of ceiling fans are, eliminating bad odor, especially those caused by cooking.
b. Upgrade Insulation: Make sure your attic and walls are insulated to maintain a consistent temperature. Hire a professional to do so or consider doing DIY insulation upgrades. Upgrading insulation can reduce cooling costs and environmental impact. By installing home insulation properly, you can reduce energy use by up to 20%. Doing that also increases your HVAC equipment life very much.
c. Weatherize Windows and Doors: By using caulk or weatherstripping to prevent heat gain through the cracks and gaps of windows and doors. Weathering can help protect windows and doors from environmental factors like rain, wind, and temperature changes. It is better if you are using air conditioning inside the home. Using door sweeps like, rubber tubes or squeegee like blades can prevent drafts and insects from entering home under doors.
3. Energy Efficient Solutions
There are ways to keep the air conditioning in our home energy efficient. Monitoring the cooling system is also a priority right. Especially in cold and hot climates.
a. Programmable Thermostat: It can help you save money and energy by maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home. It can also make your HVAC unit more durable by reducing strain on the system very much. A programmable thermostat also helps prevent cold or hot spots from happening in different areas of your home. It is easy to set up an automatic schedule for the device and you can relax more by doing so. And you can lock the device in settings to prevent unauthorized changes too.
b. Energy Efficient Lighting: This can help reduce the amount of energy especially used for cooling and heating in your home. That eventually helps saving money on your utility bills. We can also control greenhouse gas emission and other pollutants at home by using energy efficient lighting. LED light bulbs can last longer than traditional bulbs, the durability of them attracts more users around the world and makes them more popular worldwide. Compared to incandescent bulbs, LED lights are cooler, which lowers the possibility of combustion. When it comes to breaking, these lights are more resilient than conventional bulbs. LED bulbs are 90% more energy efficient than traditional and halogen light sources.
c. Portable or Mini Split Air Conditioners: If you are looking for a targeted air cooling, this option is for you. Mini split air conditioners can be more energy efficient and can also improve indoor air quality well. While portable air conditioners are more flexible and mobile. Portable AC’s are lightweight and have wheels, which helps moving it anywhere you need them, which are easy to clean because the filters are accessible and can be washed or vacuumed. Mobile AC’s use less power than central or split air conditioners. These AC’s require no installation or plumbing costs.
On the other hand, mini split AC’s use inverter technology to adjust the compressor speed based on the indoor environment. Mini split AC’s operate quietly because its fans run at lower speeds. It can also remove allergens, dust and other pollutants from the air effectively. This kind of AC creates custom cool zones throughout your home. And it also doesn’t need duct work, so no requirements of patching or painting after installation.
There are mainly two types of air conditioning
1. Central Air Conditioning: This system uses a compressor outside to drive a refrigeration cycle that cools air with refrigerant. By using ducts, the cooled air is then distributed throughout the house.
2. Ductless Mini Split Systems: Similar to central air conditioners but without ducts. Each unit is installed in separate rooms
And finally we explore one last cooling device that helps mostly in summer though.
- Evaporative Coolers: This device uses a fan to circulate hot air over a wet pad, which cools the air as water evaporates. Air coolers are more energy efficient than air conditioners and also add moisture to the air.
