Stay Cool Without A/C

Nothing beats central air conditioning when it comes to keeping you comfortably cool during the hot summer months. Sometimes life happens though and circumstances or spending priorities change. If you are trying to stay cool without A/C here are a few trips that might help you make it through the hottest days.

1. Keep your blinds closed.

Its estimated that up to 30 percent of unwanted heat comes from your windows. Strategically utilizing shades and curtains can save you up to 7 percent on bills and lower indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees. Closing the blinds during daylight hours prevents your home from becoming a miniature greenhouse, which is especially the case with south- and west-facing windows.

2. Use a fan to do more than circulate warm air

Fill a Pyrex or plastic bowl with water, freeze it to a solid block in your freezer, and position it in front of large fan so the air current blows across the ice. The bigger the bowl the longer this will last. Don’t just use ice cubes though, they melt to fast.

3. Set your ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise.

You may not realize that your ceiling fan needs to be adjusted seasonally. Set your fan to run counter-clockwise a higher speed, the fan’s airflow will create a breeze effect and you’ll feel cooler.

4. Use the ventilation technology that you have in your home.

Turn on your bath fans or the exhaust fan in your kitchen. Hot air rises and having these on during the day will help expel it from your home. Whatever you do though don’t leave your windows open at the same time as the negative air pressure these fans create will pull more hot air in from the outdoors.

6. Let the night air in.

When the temperature drops slightly at night turn off your bath fans and crack your windows before you go to bed. Try to create a cross breeze by opening windows on the opposite sides of your home or by using a fan to create a forced wind tunnel. Just be sure to close the windows and blinds as the temperature starts to rise in the morning.

7. Get rid of your old lightbulbs.

If you  still have incandescent lights, make the the switch to new LED lights.  Incandescent bulbs waste 90 percent of their energy in the heat they emit and with the Alberta Energy Program bringing down the cost of LED lights so much, getting rid of your old lights is inexpensive. Not only will you cut back on heat in the summer you will save money on your electrical bills all year long.

8. Use your furnace to circulate air.

If your furnace has an ECM / DC blower motor, set your thermostat to fan mode and have the fan run on low for 24 hours a day. Your electricity costs to do this are minimal and by blending your warm upper floor air with your cooler basement air your home will feel fresher and have less stagnant air.

9. Fire up the BBQ

Using your oven or stove in the summer will make your house hotter. If it already feels like 80 degrees in your home, the last thing you want to do is turn on a 350 degree oven. Besides, everyone loves grilled food and if you happen to need a grill you can always drop by Fireplaces by Weiss-Johnson to see the latest models and pick up a new Green Mountain, Everdure or Saber grill.

If you have done everything you can and still can’t bear the heat in your home, We often have great deals or special financing packages available that can make it easier than ever to add air conditioning. Just give us a call or request a quote by filling out the request form below

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