Great article from Divine Caroline on how to keep cool this summer!
Here in the south, the weather is sweltering and heaving with the 85 plus humidity!
We HAVE to use air-conditioning non-stop, but there are ways to reduce that 5 percent of the energy we consume in the U.S. each year that comes from home cooling units. That’s about 140 million tons of CO2 emissions annually!
1. Keep the shades drawn during the day. When sunlight streams through the windows, it creates a miniature greenhouse effect in your home.We actually found some exterior bamboo shades to put on the OUTSIDE of windows that get the afternoon sun- it had reduced the heat in those rooms by 50% and more- making it easier for the ac to cool those rooms, and reducing our electric bill! Pretty good for inexpensive shades-and because they are bamboo, the light still comes thru, just not the heat!
2. Reflect the heat. Consider investing in some reflective window film to help keep the heat outside where you want it. Like the exterior shades-if you can keep the heat from coming in, it will be a huge help!
3 Insulate! You want to keep cool air inside, so grab that caulk gun and seal off anywhere that air might be escaping. A handy draft dodger can help seal up those tricky leaks at the bottoms of doors and windows. You might not think of this as a big deal, but doors and windows account for over 20% of heat and cooling loss in a house!
4. Get rid of incandescent lights. Not only do those suckers use more energy, they generate a lot more heat than CFL or LED lightbulbs.
5. Make sure your ceiling fans are running counterclockwise. Most modern fans will have a little switch on the side to reverse their direction. You want the fan to go clockwise in winter to push warm air down and reverse it in the summer to circulate cool air.they may not be aesthically pleasing, but in the South we know they are a necessity and we've gotten over it to stay cool!
6. Drink icy beverages. This one seems like a no-brainer, but it still bears mentioning. What better way to beat the heat than to cool your body from the inside out? Why do you think Southerners drink so much iced tea in the summer?
7. Dress appropriately. Loose-fitting, light clothing goes a long way toward keeping you cool. It’s time to bust out those organic cotton shorts and tank tops! It goes without saying, seersucker keeps you cool-especially kids!
8. Grab a towel. A towel soaked in cold water is a great way to cool down. Apply it to your neck, wrists, and forehead for some relief during the hottest part of the day. If you have to work outside, do this and keep yourself from getting heat exhaustion!
9. Avoid the stove and oven. Both of these will add unnecessary heat to the house. Instead, fire up that outdoor grill, or whip up a salad or sandwich. Your rice cooker, slow cooker, and pressure cooker are other alternatives to heating up the house with the stove or oven. If you have to cook in the oven, cook in the morning and store in fridge and reheat for dinner. There will be less heat and your ac will have to work less to get rid of the heat form the oven in the kitchen!
10. Try a buckwheat pillow. If the heat is preventing you from sleeping, switching to a buckwheat pillow can make a big difference, since buckwheat doesn’t hold on to your body heat like conventional pillows do.A higher thread count cotton sheet set will also help!
11. Learn from your pets. How does your cat cope with the hottest part of the day? She snoozes! If you can squeeze in an afternoon nap, go for it.
12. Chill out. Turn on your table fan and stick a frozen bottle of water in front of it to get some cold air circulating.
13. Plant a tree. If you can, plant trees on the side of your house that gets the most sun. The extra shade will protect your home from the sun’s rays. Check out the Arbor Day Foundation's website tree calculator to see how much even ONE tree can save you in energy costs per year! For example, with the red oak tree we have in the side yard, we save ALMOST $300 a year due to it's shade!
Here in the south, the weather is sweltering and heaving with the 85 plus humidity!
We HAVE to use air-conditioning non-stop, but there are ways to reduce that 5 percent of the energy we consume in the U.S. each year that comes from home cooling units. That’s about 140 million tons of CO2 emissions annually!
1. Keep the shades drawn during the day. When sunlight streams through the windows, it creates a miniature greenhouse effect in your home.We actually found some exterior bamboo shades to put on the OUTSIDE of windows that get the afternoon sun- it had reduced the heat in those rooms by 50% and more- making it easier for the ac to cool those rooms, and reducing our electric bill! Pretty good for inexpensive shades-and because they are bamboo, the light still comes thru, just not the heat!
2. Reflect the heat. Consider investing in some reflective window film to help keep the heat outside where you want it. Like the exterior shades-if you can keep the heat from coming in, it will be a huge help!
3 Insulate! You want to keep cool air inside, so grab that caulk gun and seal off anywhere that air might be escaping. A handy draft dodger can help seal up those tricky leaks at the bottoms of doors and windows. You might not think of this as a big deal, but doors and windows account for over 20% of heat and cooling loss in a house!
4. Get rid of incandescent lights. Not only do those suckers use more energy, they generate a lot more heat than CFL or LED lightbulbs.
5. Make sure your ceiling fans are running counterclockwise. Most modern fans will have a little switch on the side to reverse their direction. You want the fan to go clockwise in winter to push warm air down and reverse it in the summer to circulate cool air.they may not be aesthically pleasing, but in the South we know they are a necessity and we've gotten over it to stay cool!
6. Drink icy beverages. This one seems like a no-brainer, but it still bears mentioning. What better way to beat the heat than to cool your body from the inside out? Why do you think Southerners drink so much iced tea in the summer?
7. Dress appropriately. Loose-fitting, light clothing goes a long way toward keeping you cool. It’s time to bust out those organic cotton shorts and tank tops! It goes without saying, seersucker keeps you cool-especially kids!
8. Grab a towel. A towel soaked in cold water is a great way to cool down. Apply it to your neck, wrists, and forehead for some relief during the hottest part of the day. If you have to work outside, do this and keep yourself from getting heat exhaustion!
9. Avoid the stove and oven. Both of these will add unnecessary heat to the house. Instead, fire up that outdoor grill, or whip up a salad or sandwich. Your rice cooker, slow cooker, and pressure cooker are other alternatives to heating up the house with the stove or oven. If you have to cook in the oven, cook in the morning and store in fridge and reheat for dinner. There will be less heat and your ac will have to work less to get rid of the heat form the oven in the kitchen!
10. Try a buckwheat pillow. If the heat is preventing you from sleeping, switching to a buckwheat pillow can make a big difference, since buckwheat doesn’t hold on to your body heat like conventional pillows do.A higher thread count cotton sheet set will also help!
11. Learn from your pets. How does your cat cope with the hottest part of the day? She snoozes! If you can squeeze in an afternoon nap, go for it.
12. Chill out. Turn on your table fan and stick a frozen bottle of water in front of it to get some cold air circulating.
13. Plant a tree. If you can, plant trees on the side of your house that gets the most sun. The extra shade will protect your home from the sun’s rays. Check out the Arbor Day Foundation's website tree calculator to see how much even ONE tree can save you in energy costs per year! For example, with the red oak tree we have in the side yard, we save ALMOST $300 a year due to it's shade!
Cartoon courtesy of Paul Söderholm's Gnurf cartoon website