Living in the Sunshine State, there have been blistering hot summer days with temperature in the 90s. Before using the air conditioner, you should consider that home cooling accounts for 5% of annual energy consumption in the U.S. Here are several alternatives to keeping your house cooler naturally. Keep the shades drawn during the day. Sunlight streaming through your home’s windows creates a mini-greenhouse effect. Reflect the heat with reflective window film to help keep the heat outside. During the evening, open a few windows open to let the breeze in and cool the house. Use a caulk gun to seal off any points where air might be escaping. A draft dodger can seal up leaks at the bottoms of doors and windows. Get rid of incandescent lights, which consume more energy and generate more heat than CFL or LED light bulbs. Make sure the ceiling fans are running counter-clockwise. Have the fans go clockwise in winter to push warm air down and reverse it in summer to circulate cool air. Drink cold beverages and dress appropriately. Light clothing can go a long way toward keeping you cool. Soak a towel in cold water and apply it to your neck, wrists, and forehead. Avoid the stove and oven; fire up the outdoor grill. Try a buckwheat pillow, as they don’t hold onto your body heat like conventional pillows do. Sleeping during the afternoon can cool you down. Turn on your table fan and put a frozen water bottle in front of it to circulate cold air. Plant trees on the side of your house that gets the most sun for protection from the sun’s rays.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 14:58:53 +0000
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