Feeling hot? You’re not the only one. People all across the South are dealing with heat waves and soaring temperatures. A high-functioning air conditioning unit is the best way to stay cool during the hottest days of the year, but combining your A/C use with other strategies will ensure an even more comfortable experience and less strain on your unit overall.
The Power of Water
Humans have been using water to keep cool for millennia, as seen by the Roman fountains. Harness the power of water by taking cool showers and baths, using ice packs, or placing wet towels on your body to cool off when it’s hot out. You should also stay hydrated and drink water (or other cool drinks) with lots of ice.
Dress For Success
Stay cool by wearing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing. Avoid wearing multiple layers, especially thick fabrics. If you’re spending time outside, avoid black clothing, which will absorb more heat. Sunglasses and hats can also help protect your face from the sun.
Get Air Flowing
Using your air conditioning system to circulate cool air in your home is the most effective way to cool your house, but additional fans can help maximize this effect. Make sure all of your ceiling fans are turned counterclockwise during the summer to create a cooling draft in your home. You can supplement the power of ceiling fans with standing fans in particularly stuffy rooms.
You can also crack your windows to help the air move around in your home. Just ensure it’s only a crack, or you might let more hot air in!
You should also keep up regularly with replacing your air filter. Changing your air filter every three months at the least not only improves your indoor air quality, but it will also improve the efficiency of your HVAC system as a whole. If you have pets in your home that shed frequently, you should consider changing your filter even more frequently.
Use Your Environment
If you’re looking for larger, longer-term solutions, there are additional updates you can invest in to make your home cooler. For example, planting bushes, shrubs, or trees in front of your house’s windows can block out sunlight before it enters your home. Consult with a landscaper before doing this to make sure you’re choosing the right plants.
Other renovations that make your home cooler include installing darker, thicker curtains and replacing fluorescent bulbs with cooler LED lights.
You can also plant bushes and other vegetation in front of your windows to block out the sun and any UV waves coming into your home. Talk to a landscaper or an HVAC technician to see if vegetation would help with the strain on your HVAC system during the summer.
Is your air conditioning unit not doing the job when it comes to keeping your home cool? The talented technicians at Absolute Heat & Air can help and perform a maintenance check. Contact us by clicking here.
Header image by wirestock on Freepik.
