7 Tips to Stay Cool This Summer for Less

When the outdoor temperatures rise, your AC unit will naturally have to work harder in order to keep your home comfortable and cool. But this doesn't mean you have to crank up your AC system and jack up your energy bill this summer. There are certain steps you can take to reduce your air conditioning use, decrease your energy bill and continue staying cool and comfortable. Some steps include:

1. Close Your Drapes or Blinds
   Block out the sun's hot rays by closing your blinds or drapes. Consider the temperature difference in the shade versus sitting in the hot sun. It's the same thing with your home. When the daytime is very sunny, close your drapes and blinds so your air conditioner doesn't have to work harder. Do this especially on west and south facing windows.

2. Don't Dry Off After Showering
   One great way to beat the heat is taking a cool shower. But, once you're done and you dry yourself off, it's a matter of seconds before the sweat beads begin forming. Therefore, after your shower, step in front of a fan to dry off or better yet, don't dry off and just get dressed. This will help you stay cooler longer. You can also spritz yourself with a spray bottle and get the same effect.

3. Use Plants to Cool your Space
   Not only are houseplants attractive, they can also help keep your indoor temperatures regulated. Because indoor plants release moisture into the air, they can decrease the temperature of your living areas by almost 10 degrees. While these aren't common results, plants do have a cooling impact on your living area. Some simple plants you can start off with are:

• Spider plants
• Snake plants
• Golden pothos
• ZZ plants

4. Toss a Cold Water Bottle in Your Bed at Night
   Fill up a water bottle with cold ice water and bring it to bed with you to help you stay cool while you're drifting off to sleep. This could be particularly helpful if you reside on a higher level and you're feeling the rising heat's effects. You can alternatively wrap up a couple frozen plastic bottles filled with water in a cotton pillowcase or towel to have by you while you're sleeping.

5. Get an Energy Assessment of Your Home
   One of the most efficient ways of improving the comfort of your home while saving yourself some money on inefficient cooling systems is by obtaining an energy assessment of your home. Home energy audits are thorough evaluations of the energy performance of homes that help determine the most cost-effective, best upgrades for homes.

This process can help you identify the spaces of your home that use more energy or those that you could improve with minor changes. Home energy assessments are great opportunities to check for common household issues like wiring or mold issues.

6. Seal and Insulate Your Home to Keep the Air Inside Cool
   Many houses are very leaky. You can help prevent your cool air from escaping out your home by sealing up any air leaks around your home and installing insulation. This can help keep the cool air indoors in the summertime and maybe even save you up to $200 annually.

7. Use a Whole House Fan
   Whole house fans expel warm indoor air while pulling the fresh outdoor air into your home. Whole house fans do work best if you live in dry, cool locations. Operating a whole house fan can cool your home for much less of what it takes to power your air conditioner. Plus, they are a whole lot quieter than what they used to be like.