As the flowers begin to bloom and the temperature starts to rise, all of this is a sign that summertime is on its way. And while we all look forward to things like swimming, eating ice cream and wearing shorts an flip-flops all day long, if there’s one thing that many of us don’t really want to deal with, it’s getting our energy bills in the mail.
Luckily, there are a few things that can be done that will not only keep the rooms in our homes cooler, but can also save us money on energy costs as well. If you’re interested in knowing what some of those things are, we’ve provided you with a list of three main ways that you can save money on home cooling costs below:
Care for the Exterior
Before we get into some of the things that you can do inside of the home in order to save money on your cooling costs, we first felt that it would be a good idea to talk about some of the things that you should do outside. For one thing, if your roof is a dark brown or black color, you may want to consider painting it white. The reason why is because dark hues tend to absorb light (making things warmer) rather than reflect light in the way that lighter shades do. And so, just by having a white roof, you should see a dramatic decrease in your energy bills. Something else that you can do is add to your landscape by planting more trees. If you position them in front of your windows, they will help to shield the rooms of your house from the sun.
Cool the House Differently
For many of us, it’s our natural inclination to simply turn down our thermostats when we’re feeling hot. But did you know that according to many energy experts, you can actually keep your house at a comfortable temperature year-round by pre-setting your (programmable) thermostat to around 73-74 degrees? If you want to make your rooms even cooler, you can first do this by installing some window treatments that either have wider blinds, or you can put up some curtains that are made out of a heavy material. Also, don’t forget to turn on your ceiling fans. Not only will it help to increase the air circulation inside of the rooms of your house, but it can decrease the temperature in the rooms of your house by as much as 5-7 degrees too.
Be Careful with the Warmth
If you’re someone who’s passionate about “being green”, then you might find yourself reading articles about how to insulate your attic with eco-friendly material or how to install ductless air conditioning systems. But when it comes to the topic of how to keep your house cooler in a greener way, there are some simple things that you can do as well. For instance, when you cook during the summer, use the outdoor grill. When you’re washing clothes, let them air dry on a line. And when you’re taking a shower, use warm water and only stay in it for five minutes. By putting these things into practice, you can easily shave a few dollars off of your monthly bills. For more information on how to conserve energy during the summer, visit The Daily Green.