How to Keep Cool

Air conditioning is a convenient way for many of us to cool our homes, but some people go overboard and try keeping the temperature at around 70 degrees even in places where the outside temps are 100 or more. This puts an immense strain on your AC unit plus it doesn't help the environment at all. A more reasonable temperature is closer to 78 or 80 inside. In many articles I read in newspapers or online websites there is one telling point that really hits home. Most rooms in your house go unused most of the day, so using your air conditioner to cool off rooms that are not being used is silly and a waste of energy. Many experts recommend getting a portable AC unit, one that sits in your window or similar. Some of the newer models are energy efficient and do a great job of cooling off smaller rooms where perhaps the family is most of the day.

The biggest thing you can do is to plant a trees or larger bushes near your exterior windows to help keep shade on your house even when the sun is at its hottest. Of course, if you don't already have trees planted it could take years to get shade. Other solutions for immediate shade are things like awnings over exterior windows to get more shade. Awning can definitely help protect your windows from taking in a lot of heat. You can also get window film which goes on the window itself and helps block some of the heat that would normally come right into your house.