Cooling Tips

Walk away from the thermostat.  Your house won't cool down any faster if you lower the thermostat setting.  When your air conditioner is on it cools at the same rate regardless of the temperature setting.

Get rid of hot air.  Use an exhaust fan to blow hot air out of your kitchen while cooking.  The savings in your cooling costs far outweigh the electricity use of the fan.

Open the doors.  A breeze on a summer day can be enough to keep you cool.  Instead of turning the air conditioner on, open doors and windows on opposite sides of the house for cross ventilation.

Save the chores for later.  Avoid activities that add heat or humidity to your home, particularly during the hottest parts of the day or limit them to times when nobody is home.  For example, turn on your dishwasher as you leave the house or let dishes air dry rather than use the dishwasher's heater.

Close the curtains.  Close drapes and shades on windows during the day to keep heat from the sun out of your house (particularly on windows with an eastern and western exposure).  In the evening opening drapes and shades lets heat escape through the windows.

Raise the thermostat.  The breeze created by a ceiling fan or portable fan typically makes you feel just as comfortable as a temperature 6° F warmer.  Raising the thermostat 6° F can save 10% on your cooling bill.

Turn on the fan.  Whole house fans can often be used in the evening instead of the air conditioner.  The electricity consumption of the fan is much less than that of the air conditioner.

Do away with heat from your attic.  Use an attic fan to get rid of the heat build-up in your attic.  Heat from your attic eventually finds its way into your home.

Sun Damage.  Don't let a room air conditioner bake in the sun.  Room air conditioners work best when kept cool.  Installing the unit in a north-facing wall is ideal.  Another option is to take advantage of shade from trees.

Resist opening and closing doors.  Shut the door or at least try to minimize the number of times that doors to the outside are opened and closed.  Each time you open the door heat enters the house.