Nobody wants to be stuck in a hot, uncomfortable home when the temperature starts to climb. Fortunately, there are a lot of simple (and inexpensive or free) things that homeowners can do to help prepare their homes for the coming summer heat. While these tips may help to make your home feel cooler and more tolerable when the weather starts to get scorching hot, be sure to schedule an annual maintenance appointment for your air conditioner.
A routine tune-up keeps your air conditioner running efficiently all season long and a clean-running air conditioner will help keep all rooms and levels of your home cool and comfortable. Additionally, with a yearly cleaning and inspection, your AC may experience less frequent (and expensive) breakdowns, and you may see lower energy bills each month.
Not sure who to turn to for your AC needs? Oncourse Home Solutions offers an affordable Cooling Maintenance Plan to help you with maintaining this necessary home appliance.
And without further ado, here are NINE WAYS TO PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR SIZZLING SUMMER HEAT!
1) Keep your windows closed and locked. Locking a window keeps its seals tighter, meaning that there’s a lesser chance for the cool, dry inside air and the hot, humid outside air to change places.
2) Don’t cook meals using your oven. This kitchen appliance will heat your home up very quickly. Instead, grill outdoors or prepare fresh, light meals that don’t require cooking — e.g., salads or sandwiches.
3) Keep cars parked outside of the garage when you get home. A hot engine is going to heat up your house, especially if you have rooms above the garage.
4) Keep blinds or curtains closed during the day. Many homeowners are amazed by how much heat is brought into their homes from the sun’s rays.
5) Keep your laundry room doors closed when using the washer/dryer. These appliances create a lot of heat when running and could quickly warm up the rest of your home. Additionally, dryer vents provide a path for hot humid air to get into the home, so keeping the laundry room door closed will help keep only that room warm — instead of your entire house. Also, try to only run the dryer in the early morning or in the evening when the temperatures aren’t the warmest.
6) Keep all closet doors closed. This keeps the bedrooms cooler with less space to cool down.
7) Ceiling fans should be spinning counter-clockwise during summer. When the fan’s blades are moving in a counter-clockwise direction, cool air from your AC is brought up from the floor to help keep you comfortable.
8) Use the exhaust fan in the bathroom. Always use the fan when showering and bathing to help prevent humidity from building up.
9) Use a dehumidifier in your basement. During extreme heat, your basement can begin to “sweat,” with moisture forming on walls and floors, even in a finished basement. A dehumidifier will remove excess humidity from the air and help prevent damage and mold growth on your surfaces.
Stay cool and comfortable this summer by keeping these tips in mind when the temperatures outside start to get warmer.
In addition to offering a Cooling Maintenance Plan, Oncourse Home Solutions also has a Cooling Repair Plan. Don’t let an AC breakdown ruin your family’s comfort this season. Enroll now and be prepared in case your system stops working like it should.