Saving money on your summer cooling bill! - Page 2

LawDawg · 04-25-2008, 08:57 AM

Programable thermostats and two separate AC units for the house are a great investment -- I raise the setting when we won't be home on in a certain area and when we are asleep and don't really notice.

Use the ceiling fans!!

Close the blinds when the sun shines in with too much heat -- although I do love my natural light.

Spend time outside where its HOT and then when you go inside and its cooler you appreciate it even if its not COLD. (I keep my thermostat in the high 70s but if its 90 degrees out the 20 degree difference seems wonderful!!)

A vent for your attic to draw the heat out is a good investment too.

If you have an older AC unit -- have it professionally serviced.

kikisian · 05-05-2008, 08:29 AM

I know it sounds strange - but I always feel less hot and botherd when the house is tidy than when it is in a mess.

We always have the windows open and the blinds closed - when the sun is shining into the rooms. Ceiling fans help keep the house cool - but they are only on if we are in the room as it has no use if no one is in the room.

terrisirig · 05-05-2008, 10:47 AM

And if you can, spend more time in your basement...hopefully its useful space, if not, spend some time fixing it up. It doesn't have to be beautiful, but usable. We have an area with a futon, table for art projects, etc., the kids can spill paint and play-do on the floor if they want to...its always cooler down there.

terrisirig · 05-05-2008, 10:48 AM

Oh, and if you don't have any...plant some of those free trees they're giving away on the freebies section...you'll have some shade in about 15 years (heck, it may be even hotter than, so don't laugh!)

terrisirig · 05-05-2008, 10:51 AM

One more..go to the mall, you don't need to shop...just mall walk (free exercise) and you keep cool and burn some energy. Don't drive far tho, gas is too expensive. Or at a minimum, any store you can think of, just to stay out of the heat.

brensmom · 05-05-2008, 11:10 AM

we do alot of the same as everyone else
1. keep shades on the sunny side closed
2. run ceiling fans and regular fans to circulait
3. we have trees on the side of the house it does help keep the upstairs shaded since heat rises
4. if its close to 100 degrees then we close off the upstairs and have the kids camp out down stairs until the weather cools down.
5. our programable thermosat has saved us tons of money.
6. keep cool drinks on hand
7. get a pool or sprinkler we will be using our quick set pool all summer for fun and to keep us cool.

bananabellesmom · 06-02-2008, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookie2

Absolutely, hands down, have an automatic attic fan. Just having an attic fan that exhausts hot air out of that space automatically when the temperature reaches a certain point is the best feature on a house I have ever had.

We turn up the A/C so it doesn't run as often. We spend a lot of time in the basement. That's where the family room is anyway. Since the basement is naturally cool, we tend to run just the funace fan to circulate the cooler air through the whole house. Around here, the night brings much cooler temperatures so we throw open the windows to sleep. I close up the windows around mid-morning when the temperature starts to climb.

We have very deep eaves on the house so exterior window blinds don't do us much good. Lots of large trees help, though.

Can you give some more detail on the attic vent thingy? We have only lived in this house for 2 years and it has an attic vent, just not sure how and when to use it.

THANKS!

momof1boy · 06-03-2008, 04:02 PM

I love these tips! Thanks everyone!

angelsmommy · 06-04-2008, 08:11 AM

i use shades that are dark on one side and light on the other. in the summer i tern them so the dark is on the outside. they attract the heat from the sun and trap it there. it dose make the house cooler. in the winter i flip them to keep the heat in. its only a few degrees but it works for me.

vickilynn · 06-04-2008, 08:19 AM

[quote=kikisian;626867]I know it sounds strange - but I always feel less hot and botherd when the house is tidy than when it is in a mess.

Me too! I especially can't stand dirty floors when it's hot.

Also, run a dehumidifier. Dry air feels cooler.