Home Swimming Pools: A Care and Maintenance Guide

Home Swimming Pools: A Care and Maintenance Guide

Easy Ways To Keep Cool Without Maxing Out Your Air Conditioner

Ruben Franklin

It's not uncommon for homeowners to run their air conditioner at max capacity during the hot summer months, and air conditioner electricity costs can range up to 11 billion dollars or more every year in the United States alone. However, running your air conditioner constantly can do more than raise your monthly utility bill--it can lower the lifespan of your air conditioner.

Fortunately, there are some simple, natural ways to reduce this stress on your air conditioner and on your monthly budget. By implementing a few of these ideas, you'll have a much easier time keeping your home cool this summer.

Invest In Shade Trees

Most people consider shade trees to be a cosmetic improvement for their yard, and a small lifestyle improvement for using outdoor space. However, shade trees can make homes without air conditioning more comfortable and make homes with air conditioning easier to cool. The trick is to plant the right trees in the right spot in your yard.

If a tree covers too much of your roof, it will certainly shade the home during the summer--but it will also make heating more difficult in the winter. To combat this, look to plant deciduous trees between 2-4 times their mature height from your home. This position will give the best shade in summer without blocking too much vital sunlight during the winter.

Set A Timer

Quite a few homeowners are in a position where they leave their home unattended for a large portion of each day--often a third of each day or more. By shutting off heating and cooling during this time, homeowners can save a ton of money and wear on their air conditioner. However, a hard shutdown isn't the best solution.

Instead, consider maintaining a less comfortable climate with a timed thermostat. You can use this device to keep your inside temperature at 80 degrees in the summer and 60 degrees in the winter. Then, time the device to warm or cool your home to the desired temperature in the hour before you typically return. You won't even notice the change--but your air conditioning unit will.

Hang Out In Your Basement

Physicists will tell you that hot air has a tendency to rise, while cool air will naturally sink. That means the warmest place in your home will naturally tend to be your upstairs bedrooms. On the other hand, the coolest place to be is often your basement.

If you make it a habit of working or relaxing upstairs, you'll naturally tend to run your air conditioner more frequently to keep those areas cool. When you naturally congregate in your basement, the opposite happens. By making basement time a habit in your daily life, you'll be able to work well with a higher base temperature setting.

Bring Home Dinner

Ordering carry-out isn't normally seen as an eco-friendly approach to life. However, nothing makes it more difficult to keep a home cool than a box in the middle of it running at 450 degrees. For that reason, operating your stove when it's hot outside is a sure-fire way to make your air conditioner work harder.

If ordering out isn't your thing, try to cook in the morning. Since the outside temperature is often lower than your thermostat's target, the extra heat isn't such a big deal then. Slow cookers are another great tool for getting dinner on the table without introducing excessive heat to your home.

Keeping your home cool in the summer is usually as simple as pressing a button on your thermostat. That said, a few simple alterations can allow your air conditioner--and your money--to work smarter instead of harder this coming summer. For more information, contact a company like A Bailey Plumbing.


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About Me
Home Swimming Pools: A Care and Maintenance Guide

As a teenager, I joined my local swim team and soon became a champion swimmer. I have been swimming my entire life, and my love for water pushed me to purchase a home with a large in-ground pool. Strangely enough, after years of swimming I had no idea how to take care of the pool. I knew that I needed to add chemicals to get rid of potentially dangerous bacteria, and I also knew that chemicals kept algae at bay. I didn't know how to choose from hydrogen peroxide, salt, or chlorine additives. I definitely had no idea about shock, and I didn't know how many chemicals to add. After some trial and error, a very green pool, and a necessary draining, I figured it out. I have compiled for you a number of blogs and resources so you do not have to make costly mistakes like me.

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