Nothing is worse than when your air conditioning breaks in the middle of the summer heat. Seeing that AC bill in the summer months can nearly give you a heart attack. To save money, you need to find creative ways to cool down your home without turning up the AC.
Heating and cooling bills can be a nightmare. It’s good to have a few tricks up your sleeve that will save you big bucks in the long run.
Try Some Tricks
Change your ceiling fans to spin counterclockwise.
Most people don’t know that their ceiling fans should be set counterclockwise in the summer and clockwise in the winter. Counterclockwise movement helps to create a breeze in your house, while clockwise movement circulates heat.
Close the blinds & shut the doors.
Closing the blinds and using curtains make a huge difference in keeping that temperature down. Using blackout curtains will work even better to look in that cool air and keep the hot sunlight out. Shutting all the doors that you aren’t actively using also helps to get the cool air circulating properly in your home.
Sleep with some windows open.
Any way to promote a cross-breeze is a good way to keep your house heat-free. Opening the windows to the cool evening air is a great way to let in some of nature’s air conditioning.
Turn on your kitchen exhaust fan & turn on the bathroom fans.
These cooling fans work to get rid of that hot, humid air from cooking and hot showers. Why can’t it do the same for those hot summer days spent indoors?
Meal prep & plan!
Nothing will get your house hot faster than turning on the oven in the middle of the day. Planning to cook before or after the heat can make a big difference.
Make sure your house is properly insulated.
Insulation doesn’t just help in the winter. It keeps that heat out in the summer as well. If your attic, doors, windows, and walls aren’t properly sealed and insulated, you might be paying way more to cool yourself down.
Get Some Gadgets
Dehumidifiers
Humidity can make you feel like you’re being suffocated. Getting rid of the humidity in the air may have a bigger impact than you realize. Buy a dehumidifier to do just that.
Insulated window films
These are a win-win in the summertime. These window films keep out the heat while still letting in some light. They’re a cheap and efficient way to keep your home cool.
Chill pillows & Cotton sheets
Prioritizing your sleeping conditions can make a big difference in how you face the summer heat. Using chill pillows and cotton blankets allows you to keep cool while you’re sleeping so you can wake up feeling refreshed.
Duct booster fan
This is a cool gadget you can get to pump more air through your vents. A duct booster fan gives you cool air that circulates throughout your home without needing to turn on the AC.
Create Some Contraptions
Make an ice fan.
Get some ice and a fan and find whatever creative way you want to create this contraption. This may seem a little silly, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Ice fans can cool you down quickly and it’s a fun idea for kids and families.
Design some cooling curtains.
Grab some lightweight curtains or sheets and spray them with some cold water. Open the windows and hang the fabric over the windows. This turns that sticky, hot wind into a nice and refreshing breeze.
Create your own AC unit.
Sometimes simply sticking a box fan in an open window can do the trick just fine. Just make sure it’s spinning the right way to get you that cool breeze you need through your home.
Don’t be discouraged by the cost of AC bills. There are so many other ways to frugally keep you cool all summer long. You can cool down your home without racking up an expensive bill.
For more home improvement insight, check out our article Is Rent-To-Own Actually A Scam?
