The warm weather doesn’t stop by very often so when it does, it’s important to know the best ways to keep your home cool while keeping your energy bills low.
1. Shut out the sun
When it gets hot our first instinct is to fling open the windows but all this will do is let the warm air into your home and the sun beaming through the windows will be heating up the room. By closing the blinds and curtains you’ll block the sun out and everything will become cooler. This means you won’t be tempted to turn on the electric fan which will run up your energy bills.
2. Open the windows at night
To prevent over heating during the night, open your window once the sun goes down and the warm air will be replaced with cool, refreshing air.
3. Switch it off
Surprisingly, a lot of heat can be generated from appliances around the house so turn them off when you’re not using them. Remember, don’t just leave them on standby as they’ll still be giving off heat and costing you money.
4. Use cooler light bulbs
Your light bulbs may be contributing to the heat of your home more than you think. Replace standard light bulbs with high-efficiency, low-heat lights or LED bulbs and always remember to turn the lights off when they’re not needed.
5. Wash wisely
Try to avoid running the dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer on hot days as they can generate a lot of heat. If necessary, wash clothes in cold water, run the washer only if you have a full load and use the shortest cycle possible. Also make the most of the heat and dry your clothes on the washing line.
6. Use less hot water
If possible, turn your hot water to a lower temperature so it will produce less heat. Hot showers can also produce a lot of heat throughout the house so try to take shorter and cooler showers.
