Ten Ways to Keep Your House Cooler

The biggest utility expense in the summer is keeping the house cool. There are home maintenance strategies that can help your air conditioner to run efficiently and for you to feel comfortable at a higher temperature setting. Here are ten tips to help you beat the heat.

• Have adequate insulation. If your attic has blown in insulation that is 15 years old or more, it settles over time. It is the thickness and the many air pockets that work as a barrier from the inside ceiling to the attic. If there has been water damage or pest infestation, that portion will need to be replaced too. If an area or room doesn’t seem to be as cool in the summer, hot in the winter it could be missing insulation in the walls, and an infrared camera can help detect that.

• Seal building envelope leaks. Check with your hand around windows, outlets, plumbing entries, and base of exterior door to see if you can feel hot air entering. Items such as caulk, spray foam, or a door sweep can help fix it. 

• Use a programmable smart thermostat. Consider if you have time of use electricity plan to precool, set at a higher temperature during the peak cost times, and the time you are away. It is not necessary to run the AC fan to circulate the air. Know that you will sleep better if you are cool.

• Shade windows and home. There are many types of window treatments, from solar screens, shades, blinds, curtains, shutters that help block the sun’s heat, and protect furniture from fading. Consider planting of bushes or a tree(s) to shade the home. Attached patio roof, awnings also help. 

• Use ceiling fans. Although ceiling fans will not cool the air, the breeze will make one feel cooler. You can adjust the thermostat up 4 degrees which will net a substantial savings. 

• Utilize attic fan(s). Attics can be an average of 20-30 degrees hotter than the outdoors. When it gets over 130 degrees in the attic that level of heat can shorten roof shingle’s life span and overwork the HVAC system. You can utilize passive ventilation or solar powered exhaust fans that are placed on the roof and are activated when the attic air temperature is higher than the outdoor temperature to help equalize it to be the same as the outdoor temperature. A more powerful fan placed on the side of the house with a vent on the opposite side can be set to turn on at night to create a cross breeze to pull in the cooler night air and can drop the attic temperature 20 degrees. 

• Do regular filter changes. A build-up of dust in the air filters can restrict airflow and make the HVAC work harder. Since the system is running more in the summer, check them monthly.

• Unblock vents. Closing registers in rooms that are not in use makes the HVAC system work harder. Make sure vents are unblocked, and ducts are clean. Dust and dirt can build up in ductwork making the HVAC less efficient.

• Clean condenser coils of a split system. The coils of the condenser can pick up dirt, leaves and other debris. Turn off power to the unit, remove outer case, use a broom to remove debris, spray with a cleaner, hose off, let dry, straighten any bent coil fins. The unit should have a 2-foot clearance, so nothing impedes airflow. Shading the unit helps.
• Schedule an annual HVAC check-up. Choose a month to regularly set an appointment with an HVAC professional is smart to make sure your unit is ready for the rigors of summer use. They can check the refrigerant levels, belts, test for ductwork leaks, recalibrate your thermostat and rebalance the airflow if needed. You do not want to fail in the peak of heat!

And here are some bonus tips for staying cooler: stay hydrated, going for a swim or taking a cool bath will lower body temperature, and you will sleep better if you are comfortably cool.

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