You can enjoy warmth in winter and cool air in summer, at home and at work, while still keeping your energy bills in check. With the following tips and insights, you can enjoy the benefits of your gadgets and, at the same time, keep your energy bills low throughout the year.
- Cooling Tips:
If worse comes to worst, there are some tricks to staying cool in summer if your air conditioning needs replaced or you really need to keep a lid on the bills for a while.
Open the windows and position your fans in such a way that warm air finds its way out of the room to be replaced by cooler air.
Once this is done, or right before it starts to heat up again, close all the windows to keep the cool air in and the warm air out. To maintain the coolness within, keep sunlight out by closing drapes and blinds. Big trees with lots of possible shade will make this easier.
You can stick sheets in your refrigerator for a few minutes before bedtime. A plastic bag covering will avoid direct contact with food and other smells the fridge may have. The cool sheets will help you fall asleep easily.
- Temperature Control:
During the day, use natural lighting as much as possible by opening doors, windows, and drapes. While you’re away from the house, and in summer, set your thermostat as high as possible and only keep the temperature low when you are indoors to lower your cooling bill.
Eliminate the sources of heat that you can do without. Avoid incandescent bulbs if you can, as they give off so much heat. Use energy saving light bulbs. They are cooler, last longer, and save you money. The same applies for computers and other appliances not in use. Simply put, if you’re not using it, keep it off, especially at night
Use homemade items to regulate your room temperature, to aid your air conditioner. In winter, use blankets to cover up your windows to prevent the cold coming in. in summer, you can use plastic window covers, or even aluminum foil, to stop the sun streaming in and making the room hotter.
You can also be creative with your fan(s). Your fan can aid your air conditioner if you position a bowl of ice right in front of it. The breeze will blow cool air and you can sit right in front of this air to get the perfect feel.
If you have more than one fan and have to entertain a room of people, or would just like the airflow to cover the area better and possibly be an aid to your air conditioning unit, simply set up your fans inside the room to create an interesting but effective flow of cool air.
Most ceiling fans have a clockwise and a counterclockwise setting to be used for the different seasons. To determine which setting your fan is on, switch it on and stand directly beneath it. If you immediately feel the breeze, it’s on the summer setting that blows air downwards. To change the direction check near the base of the fan for a button that changes the fan direction. The winter setting blows air upwards to create a steadier temperature.
