Staying cool in the summer heat can be a difficult task. Intense summer heat can make your home less comfortable to be in while raising household energy costs. Here are some simple ways to stay cool and comfortable during the summer. 1. Turn on your fans when air conditioning is in use. Using a fan while the air conditioner is running greatly enhances the cooling effect. While the air conditioner lowers the temperature of the air, fans circulate the cool air throughout the room and house. The boost in air circulation creates a wind chill that allows you to stay cool without having to set the AC unit very low. 2. Try using ice and a fan to stay cool. Set a bowl full of ice in front of a table fan. As the ice melts, the fan will blow cooler air toward you. This hack is great for while you’re working at your desk. You could also do the same thing with a fan on your kitchen counter to stay cool while you’re cooking. 3. Cut back on the use of appliances and lights. Appliances, gaming consoles, computers, and even standard light bulbs heat up your house while they are running, so turn them on as little as possible. Run the washing machine only when you have a full load. Eliminate the heat generated when using the dryer by hanging your clothes outside or around the house to air dry. Avoid using the dishwasher if it is not full. Instead, hand wash dishes in the sink and let them air dry or use a towel. Avoid using the oven and stove to prepare meals. Use the microwave or grill instead. You could also consider eating meals that don’t have to be cooked. Chef salad with julienned turkey and/or ham and deli sandwiches are great options. 4. Thirsty but don’t have any ice? Wrap your beverage of choice with a damp paper towel, then place it in the freezer for about fifteen minutes. Your drink will be chilled to perfection! 5. Eat and work out on your deck or patio in the evening. Once the sun is down, outdoor spaces serve as ideal places to have dinner, do homework,...
Read MoreSaving money is always a plus, especially while being comfortable in your own home. Be it winter or summer, the potential savings can be phenomenal. Back in August 2013, the government published Energy Saver 101 picturing a Home Energy Audit. This publication has 101 ways to be protected from high energy costs. What an energy audit is, and what it can do for you. A home energy audit is an assessment of how well your home uses energy. For instance, small cracks in the siding or foundation, can bring as much air into your home, as if you had left a window open for 24 hours. Imagine leaving your window open overnight during subzero temperatures, how much harder is your furnace running? Or, leaving your window open all day while it is over 90 degrees and humid? That’s when your air conditioning unit will be choking! Take that extra pressure off your furnace and air conditioner by calling in a professional auditor. Steps to take before signing a contract: Check with your utility companies. They may do the audit themselves or be able to recommend a local company. References. Get several references from the auditor company and contact them all. Ask each referenced customer if they were satisfied with the results. Call the BBB. The Better Business Bureau may have information on any complaints against the company. Ask questions of the energy auditor. Does the energy auditor use a calibrated blower door? How about thermographic inspections? If not, ask another auditor company. Preparing for an audit. Before the energy auditor visits your house Make a list of any existing problems such as condensation and uncomfortable or drafty rooms. Have copies or a summary of the home’s yearly utility bills (electric and heating if other than electric; such as gas, fuel oil, and coal). The auditor then will analyze the residents’ behavior: How many people live here? Is your home occupied during the day? What is the average thermostat setting for summer? For winter? Do you use every room in the home? What to expect during an audit. Room-by-Room. The energy auditor will do a room-by-room examination of the residence. Utility Bills. A thorough examination of your home’s bills for electric and heating. This will give the auditor an idea of what to look...
Read MoreHow would you feel if you came home after a long, hot summer day, only to find the air conditioner has stopped working? And, then, to be on a waiting list, as the repairman made his rounds to all the other people who also are waiting? Guessing it would make you a bit hot under the collar, wouldn’t it? (pun intended) Preventive maintenance in the springtime is a much better option… Plan ahead and Enjoy your summer! Benefits of Having an Annual Air Conditioning Tune-up Spring is the perfect time to have your air conditioning unit checked out… That way you can be sure your system is ready when you are! While there are many things you can do yourself, there are still other things it’s best to call in the professionals for. To see what they are, feel free to reference one of our previous articles: https://efficientheatcool.com/time-spring-hvac-tune/ Besides coming home to a cool house when it’s super humid outside, here’s some other benefits to maintaining your air conditioning unit: Prevention truly is the best medicine for keeping you cool. Scheduling your annual maintenance check is your first step! You want your air conditioning unit to be in peak condition for the summer season. Plus, ongoing and preventative maintenance help contribute to the longevity of your unit. Increase efficiency of your system. You not only want your air conditioning unit to work, but you want it to be as efficient as possible. Regular maintenance will ensure your air conditioner is running at peak efficiency as you keep your home cool and comfortable. Plus, it saves you money by helping you avoid some of those mid-summer repairs and it lowers your electric bill. Improve the performance. Remember last summer when you noticed that the air coming out of the vents wasn’t quite as cool or blowing as strong as you would’ve liked it to? An annual maintenance check in the spring helps your air conditioning system provide a better cooling output throughout the humid summer months. You can schedule your tune-up here! So, what can you expect from your technician during an annual air conditioning maintenance check? Following are three things your technician will do and why: Clean the coils. Your technician will clean the evaporator and condenser air coils, because dirty coils can decrease the ability of your HVAC system to cool your home. Dirty coils can...
Read MoreCold Weather Tips To Help You Save Money The weather is now colder, and you feel like you are constantly looking at the thermostat trying to keep the house warm without draining your bank account for the colder months. Know that you are not alone, most households have this same issue throughout the winter months. Check out our list of 8 tips to help keep you warm this winter without going broke. 1. Open your curtains. If you live in a place where the sun is shining during the winter months use that to your advantage. Sunlight brightens and warms up a room. 2. Lower your thermostat at night and when you are not home. Bumping your thermostat down 2 to 8 degrees when you are sleeping or out of the house. No need to heat a house when no one is home, and we tend to sleep better in a cooler room. If you are a cold sleeper add blankets or warmer sheets. 3. Wear layers. While this isn’t ideal for everyone, a saying in our house growing up was “you can’t tell me you are cold unless you’re wearing long pants, socks, and a sweatshirt.” Layers of clothes are more or less free since they are already in your closet where turning the heat up will cost you money. 4. Keep your furnace clean. Keeping your furnace and vents properly maintained will reduce energy consumption and help you save. Check your furnace filter monthly, and replace it when needed. 5. Check your housing insulation. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs are lost each year due to escaping heat in homes due to lack of proper insulation. Insulation does not have to be expensive; check out your local hardware stores and stock up on what your house needs most. 6.Ceiling Fans! Use Them! Ceiling fans can be used strategically to achieve better airflow. Turning your fan on clockwise will trap heat inside to keep your rooms warmer. Keeping your ceiling fan on low will help keep the room warm. 7. Only heat the rooms that you are using, there is no need to heat guest rooms, or warmer rooms in your house, your bank account will...
Read MoreThere’s really only one word to describe the current housing market in Cleveland: HOT. It’s truly a seller’s market, with newly-listed houses getting snatched up by eager buyers practically overnight. This is a trend that’s actually sweeping across the nation, with home values up nine percent year-to-year. If you’ve been thinking it’s time to sell your current home, whether because your family is growing and needs more space or because you’re ready to downsize to a more manageable option, now is definitely the time. However, it might be a seller’s market, but you still want to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck when you list your home. The Best Ways to Increase Home Value If it’s a seller’s market, why should you be concerned with making any changes to your home? Well, for that same reason! Because the market is so hot, you might be faced with paying slightly more for your dream home right now. And that means you’ll want to make sure you’re getting as much for your current home as possible, so you can put that money into your new home. However, you should focus only on the upgrades that provide the biggest return on your investment. Here are the top five upgrades that can increase the value of your home: Make it energy efficient. The average American spends over $2,000 on home energy every year, and letting potential buyers know your home is energy efficient can definitely increase your profits when you sell. Focus on adding energy-efficient lighting, replacing drafty windows and doors, or upgrading to energy-efficient appliances that will stay with the home. Make it smart. Smart home technology is all the rage these days, and you can bet potential buyers will be looking for these upgrades in a home. Most smart tech isn’t very costly, and it can add a lot of appeal to those buyers. Consider swapping out your old thermostat with a smart thermostat, for instance, or adding smart door locks and lighting. Add some curb appeal. First impressions are everything, and if your home looks drab on the outside, some potential buyers may not even consider checking out the inside. Paint your front door an eye-catching...
Read MoreYou know the phrase: new year, new you. The start of a new year represents a perfect time to create some goals designed to improve your life in some way, whether it’s to work out regularly, eat more vegetables, or spend more time with family and friends. However, while you’re making this year’s resolutions, don’t forget about one more important aspect of your life – your home. 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home – and How to Keep Them Home is where the heart is, and you and your family deserve a comfortable, clean and healthy space to live your lives. That’s why one of the top New Year’s resolutions is to get the home organized and tidy. Additionally, we recommend making sure your household is running as smoothly and as efficiently as possible. Here are 5 achievable goals you can set for your home this year: Get rid of the clutter. Did you know that clutter can actually add to the stress in your life? It’s true! Clutter can overwhelm and overstimulate your mind, as your brain has to work extra hard to process everything it’s seeing. It’s time to downsize some of your belongings. Start with items you know you don’t use or need regularly. Then stick to the rule where for every new thing you bring into your home, you must purge one item. Conduct an energy audit. When your home isn’t energy efficient, you’re simply paying too much on your monthly energy bill. Start by swapping out old incandescent light bulbs for LEDs or CFLs. Secondly, check your windows and doors for drafts and make sure to seal them up using caulk and weatherstripping. Just a few small steps can result in a major monthly savings. For bigger savings, it could be time to upgrade your HVAC system or your appliances this year. Organize your storage spaces. Make it a goal to go through one storage space every month, whether it’s the junk drawer in the kitchen, the coat closet, or the basement shelves. Get rid of broken items, donate extra items or things you no longer use, and arrange the spaces in a way that makes sense. For instance, combining all hats, scarves...
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