What’s the worst thing about summer? The money you have to spend to keep your home cool. If you live on the east coast, you might not have this problem. But for people on the west coast, keeping a place cool without spending a ton of money isn’t easy. You shouldn’t have to compromise when it comes to being hot and sweaty and saving a few hundred bucks. And you don’t have to with these 10 hacks:
Minimize The Use Of Your Oven
It should come as no surprise that using your stove or oven is going to add heat to your home. And while you probably don’t want to eat out every meal, there are other options you should consider. For example, you could use your outdoor grill more or even a slow cooker. If you have to use your inside cooking appliances try to stick to early mornings or late nights, when the sun is down.
Avoid Using Other Appliances During The Day
Not just your stove and oven, you should avoid using any kind of appliance in your house during the day. Every appliance you have produces heat, whether you know it or not. You don’t need to add extra heat to your home, which is why waiting until the sun goes down (or isn’t up yet) can be helpful. Not to mention, using your washer and dryer is typically cheaper after hours anyway!
Keep Your Lights Off
If your lights are on during the day when you’re home, you’re wasting money AND you’re adding unnecessary heat to your home. Sure, you could opt for fluorescents and LED lighting but even with those lights, you’re still going to add heat. When you’re home, and especially when you’re not home, do your best to keep a majority of your lights off.
Invest In Plants
Outside or inside, consider investing in plants. They can provide shade and keep your house cooler. Indoor plants consume hot air for their own purposes and that will take away from the heat in your room. You could even plant a tree outside your home and patiently wait for it to grow tall enough to block the sun from shining into your house (but that could take a while). A few herb plants near your window is all you need to start off with!
Unplug Your Devices
You might not think it’s a big deal to keep your charges and devices plugged in when you’re not using them All you’re doing is adding more to your electric bill, right? Wrong. You’re also adding heat that doesn’t need to be in your home. You see, plugged in devices generate energy…which generates heat. If you’re not actually charging your phone, unplug the charger!
Make Appropriate Use Of Your Ceiling Fan
Do you know the point of a ceiling fan? It’s to keep you cool, not your space. If you’re running a ceiling fan when you’re not home, you’re throwing money away. If you’re running it when you’re home, make sure the fan is turning to the right so it’s actually creating a breeze that’ll cool you down.
Keep Your Doors Open & Blinds Closed
If possible, keep all of your doors open. That’s the best way to let air flow throughout your home without having to turn down the temperature. You should also keep your blinds closed to reduce sun from coming into your home and causing it to feel even warmer. If you can, maybe invest in blackout curtains to really block out the heat!
Make Sure Your Sheets Are Cotton
Cotton sheets not only feel good, they also keep you cool! When buying sheets for the summer, make sure they’re 100% cotton. Cotton gets rid of heat and moisture. You should also consider white sheets over any other color because white attracts less heat. Although I understand not wanting white sheets. They can get messy pretty fast. As long as your sheets are a lighter color, you should be fine!
Keep Your AC Clean
If you use your AC a lot, especially during the summer, there’s a good possibility that the thing is dirty. Make sure you clean your AC before you start using it regularly to make sure it’s equipped to actually keep your home cool. A moist cloth will be able to wipe down the coils that are filled with dust particles so that you can make sure when you turn it on, it’s actually working the way it’s supposed to!
Drink Water Before Bed
This one is more of a life hack for you to stay cool at night while you’re sleeping. Drinking a large glass of water before bed will keep you hydrated and therefore not dehydrated (no-brainer), while you’re sleeping so you’re less likely to sweat during the night. This, in combination, of every other thing on this list, will help keep you and your place nice and cool this summer!