How Texans Can Keep Cool!

Several of the ways people kept cool during life without air conditioning can still be used today to help control your home’s cooling costs. For instance, the use of ceiling fans can help make you feel around five degrees cooler without having to turn down your thermostat. Other modern “cooling hacks” include:

• Upgrade to LED and Fluorescent Lights – Certain types of light bulbs give off heat and cause air temperatures to increase. Both LEDs and fluorescents use less energy and give off little to no heat.
• Cook Meals on the Grill – Using the stove, cooktop, oven, and even the microwave will create heat. Who does not like freshly grilled meats and veggies? Plus you can cook a wide range of foods if your grill has separate side burners.
• Increase the Insulation in Your Home – Modern homes’ walls are not as thick as older homes. As such, it is beneficial to have additional insulation blown into the walls, as well as in your attic.
• Adjust Air Vents – The air vents in the home should be adjusted. You want to close vents in the basement since it is naturally cool and there is no need to cool it more. On the main floor of the home, adjust vents so they are partially closed. On upper floors open vents all the way. Remember, hot air rises and cool air falls, so the cooled air upstairs will also help cool the main floor of the home.
• Run Appliances in the Evenings – Washers, dishwashers, and other such appliances do give off heat, so use them at night when it is cooler, not to mention it also prevents your air conditioning from overworking itself during the hot daytime hours.
• Upgrade to a Programmable Thermostat – A programmable thermostat allows you to set different temperatures for various times and days of the week. It makes no sense to use your preferred setting during the day when no one is at home. Setting it a few degrees higher helps reduce how often it runs along with lowering your electric bill.
• Give Your Air Conditioner Unit an Annual Tune-Up – Have a HVAC expert check your system to discover any potential problems sooner, rather than later. Not only will it cost less to fix, but it also ensures your AC is running efficiently and effectively to cool your home and avoids unexpected failures on sweltering summer days.
• Replace Air Filters Often – Depending on the type of air filter you have, you may need to replace it monthly, every other month, or once every 90 days. Clean air filters ensure air flow is maintained in the home and the AC functions correctly.
• Have Air Leaks in Ducts Fixed – Small air leaks in ductwork can cause your AC to run more often and harder, since the cool air is escaping long before it even reaches the rooms in the home.
• Insulate Ductwork – If your ducts are under the crawl space of the home, you can increase the effectiveness of cooled air by insulating the ducts.
• Upgrade to a New, Modern AC System – If your AC system is more than fifteen years old, it is probably nearing the end of its usefulness, where repairs will end up becoming more common and costly. In the long run, it can be cheaper to have a newer, more efficient A/C system.