3 ways to cool your house this summer. As we are waiting for fall to arrive, here are some ways to keep both the temperature of your home and the price of utility bills down. So, if you want to lower your cooling costs, here are three things that may help you:
#1 Fans and ice
You can easily make a DIY AC, with nothing more than a box fan and some ice. Simply put the ice into a bowl and place it in front of the running fan. As the ice melts, it cools the air around it. The fan will then disperse the cool air around your home.
But fans can do more than that. Another cooling trick is to run your ceiling fans counterclockwise—this will pull up the hot air, leaving you sitting in a cooler space.
#2 Green cooling
Plants do a great job absorbing sunshine and reducing summer heat. If you’re planning to live in your home for a while, it would be wise to plant several deciduous trees on the south side of your home.
However, even more short-term green solutions can work. One option is several potted sunflowers, which grow quickly and have large leaves. Climbing vines or foliage on a trellis can keep the front of your home cool, while a green roof will both increase your comfort and reduce your energy bills, year-round.
#3 A summertime schedule
For this natural trick, simply open up the windows in the early morning and shut them before you go to work. This will allow you to suck in some cool air, and to keep out the hot air later in the day.
For even better results, draw the shades during the day, and consider getting heat-blocking blackout curtains.
These simple tricks can be effective at reducing the heat during the summer months, and they can have a nice impact on your energy bill, lowering it by 30% to 50%. Plus, small investments like planting a tree or installing a whole-house fan can also boost the value of your home.
