Summer is finally here, with the warm weather moving in to cover most of the country. While this is certainly a time of year that most people love – being able to spend hours outside, just enjoying the company of friends and family – the hot air can sometimes present a bit of a problem. Not only can it be a source of some discomfort, particularly in those hot and humid states, the warm weather can also cause your monthly utility bills to skyrocket over the course of the summer. The reason for this is an increased dependence on your air conditioning unit, which sucks up energy almost as fast as it blows cool air into your household. While air conditioners are convenient, they can end up costing you.
Not only will air conditioners drive up your energy payments, they can also have a negative impact on the environment. Because we often leave these machines on and running during all hours of the day, they can produce and release harmful amounts of carbon dioxide into the air. All of this is not to say that we should abandon the use of air conditioners entirely – that would just be unrealistic and unhelpful – but instead, they should be used more carefully and in conjunction with other ways to keep your house cool and comfortable. Air conditioners are not the only way to make sure that your home is a retreat from the outside world, and instead should be part of an entire system in place to cool your household’s interior.
Here are a few ways to keep your home cool alongside your air conditioning unit:
- Invest in new sheets: One of the best ways to get yourself ready for a new season is by having new sheets for your bed. Not only will the new bedding freshen the look of your room, it can also keep you cooler while you sleep. If you are going to purchase new sheets for the summer, cotton is the best possible choice. This is because the material breathes easier, which makes it stay cooler, even with the addition of your own body heat at night. Cotton pillowcases and sheets will ensure a more comfortable night’s sleep.
- Seal any leaks: In order to prevent the cold air from your house escaping to the outdoors, you should check all of your bedroom’s windows and doors to make sure that there are no leaks. If there are, you should seal them up immediately, so you are not wasting money on air that is not cooling down your bedroom. This will also result in you saving money, as your air conditioner will not have to work as hard to meet the temperature that you want.
- Use the ceiling fan: Even if you have your air conditioner on, you should still keep your room cool by spreading the air around as much as possible. The motion from the ceiling fan will create a cooling effect in your room, which means that you can turn the thermostat down a bit without losing much of the colder temperature. Ceiling fans are often overlooked in the age of central air conditioning units, but can still play a vital role in keeping the temperature of your home’s interior down.
If you are a Maryland resident looking to keep your home cooler, be sure to call 703-214-5611!
