If you dread stepping into your house because of sweltering temperatures, then it might be time to figure out some steps that you can take to make your home as efficient as possible. With a few simple projects and upgrades, your home is going to be more comfortable and you could potentially save yourself quite a bit of money in the coming years.
Close All of Your Blinds
Many homeowners don’t realize just how much of an impact blinds can have on indoor temperatures. When the blinds are closed, they are going to reduce the temperature inside a home by minimizing heat exchange and blocking UV rays. Those who live in a particularly warm area might also want to switch to blackout blinds that have an extra layer of insulation.
Use Your Ceiling Fans Properly
Making a few small adjustments to your ceiling fans is another simple step that you can take to make your home more comfortable. As soon as the weather begins to warm up, you should immediately flip the switches on your ceiling fans to ensure that they are spinning counterclockwise. When a fan is spinning counterclockwise, it will create a breeze throughout the room and move around some of the cool air coming from the vents.
Switch to CFL Bulbs
Older light bulbs tend to be highly inefficient because much of the energy that they consume is turned into heat instead of light. Turning on multiple incandescent bulbs in a single room could potentially increase the temperature by a few degrees, and that is just one of the many reasons why some experts suggest switching over to CFL bulbs. Those bulbs produce less heat and consume less energy, and they often pay for themselves within a matter of months.
Inspect and Fix Your Air Conditioner
At least once every six months, you should contact a reputable HVAC company to have your heating and cooling system inspected and serviced. That company will be able to make small adjustments so that the system continues to work at maximum efficiency. An air conditioning repair company can also take care of minor problems before they evolve into expensive issues.
These few tips and tricks are an excellent start, but you might want to consider replacing your HVAC entirely if it is more than a decade old. Newer HVAC units tend to be much more efficient, and upgrading to a newer model will make it easier to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
