When the heatwaves start heading in, everyone wants to have a cool place to retreat indoors. Of course, the user would rather not drive up their energy bills to keep things comfortable A little common sense can help them manage the cooling costs this summer. Use these tricks to get the most out of the AC unit—especially during triple-digit days outside.
One way to better regulate the indoor temperature is to change how the ceiling fan blades rotate throughout the year. In the winter, they want warm air to circulate.
Air moving down
Adjusting the fan so it pulls air up encourages cooler air to mix with the heat that rises to the ceilings, making the room feel warmer. On most ceiling fan models, this happens when the blades run clockwise. For the summertime, though, it’s better to have air moving down and away from the fan.
The angle of the blade's impact which direction they should spin this time of year
The angle of the blades impact which direction they should spin this time of year, but typically it’s counterclockwise. This will add a cool breeze to the room—which is a nice bonus to how the AC is already working. To test this, all the user has to do is stand beneath the ceiling fan. If they feel cool air blowing down on them, then they’ll know they’re set!
Keeping things cooler
Otherwise, just flip the little switch on the base of the fan. This will tell the blades to move in the opposite direction. Run the fan on high during hot days, and they’ll really put them to good use! The next thing to watch for in summer is how to manage the hot air in your kitchen and bathroom. Warm showers and hot cooktops add extra heat to the home. Being able to push that air outside can help keep things cooler.
The primary function of the exhaust fan in the bathroom is to reduce the risk of growing mold and mildew in the bathroom. The user can turn it on to minimize that muggy, humid feeling. This is important when they’re creating steam in the shower, but it also benefits the home’s AC. The user can turn on the exhaust fan whenever the air in the room is feeling thick.
Pulling heat away
Another way to reduce the heat in the home is to keep that cool air in its place—inside
This works for the kitchen too. Use the exhaust fan to pull heat away and out of the room. The user doesn’t have to run these fans for long to make a difference. And when the weather is smoldering outside, every little bit counts.
Another way to reduce the heat in the home is to keep that cool air in its place—inside! Going in and out of the house for chores in the backyard just gives that cold air more chances to escape. Then the AC has to work harder to make up the difference. The same can be said about the garage door. They see a lot of people leave it up when they’re at home.
Dramatic temperature swings
Again, that just creates opportunities for the hot summer weather to impact the temperature indoors. Keep that garage door down so it becomes another barrier against the heat.
Of course, if the user has dramatic temperature swings throughout the home, it might be time to consider other solutions. Looking into zoning for the home can be a great way to direct how the AC and furnace work throughout the year. Users can divide rooms or levels into distinct zones. This gives each area its own thermostat. Then they can really have control over the temperature in the home.
