Energy Efficient Ways to Stay Cool

Finding energy efficient ways to stay cool is probably in the forefront of most minds as we approach the warmest weeks of summer. With only a window unit for my own home, I’ve taken it upon myself to find ways to make the most of the cooling resources I have.

Plug Leaks

Energy stripping and caulking or just some all purpose tape to seal window leakage can make a huge difference in your bill. I’ve also found that lowering my ceiling with ceiling tile is helpful for both winter heating and the summer cooling season alike.

Ceiling Fans

The best thing I did for the summer season is purchasing a ceiling fan on sale at Menard’s. There’s such a variety to choose from and on sale, you can find very reasonably priced units. Their great in all the rooms, so I find that between my ceiling fans and my window air conditioner, the kids and I are pretty cool and comfortable.

Shades and Curtains

I find that my shades and curtains are instrumentally helpful for keeping the heat out, whether I it’s a sunny day or not. The heat seems to permeate the windows just like the cold does, and that seems to be the case whether there’s sun coming in or not. On hot days, I keep the shades down even if it’s cloudy in attempt to keep the heat from leaking in.

Halogen Lights

Using halogen technology rather than inefficient incandescent lights that emit heat. The halogen technology lights burn 25-75% energy rather than heat. It does make a difference in my own home, especially in a couple smaller rooms in which you could really feel the heat coming from the regular lightbulbs.

Maintain Your AC

Whether it’s a window unit or a central air unit, regular maintenance and upkeep is paramount in keeping your bills at a minimum. Have your equipment checked before the warm weather hits to prevent any breakdowns while the hot weather is upon you.

Just following this routine has kept me cool, even with a window unit that we use to cool the entire house.