Working at Home Without AC? What Are Your Options?
If you're working at home now during the dog days of summer, chances are you're working in a very warm environment. That could be because you either have no air conditioning, or if you do, you know how costly it can be to run your AC all day long and you don't want to crank up your energy bills.
But, you still want to be able to work comfortably, right?. You just need to know how to keep your home cool without having to rely on your air conditioning system. Here are five cooling method options to keep your home comfortable and cool even on the hottest days.
- Open Windows
Monitor the temperatures both indoors and outdoors closely. When the temperature outdoors becomes cooler than the temperature indoors, open up some doors and windows so you can allow the cooler outdoors to come in while expelling out the warm indoor heat. If you have transom windows up on your walls or operable skylights, be sure you open those as well to create convection currents and let the heated air out.
- Close the Blinds or Curtains
If you have windows in your home where the sun is beating on throughout the morning and afternoon, you'll want to close the blinds or curtains over them to block out the sun's hot rays that are heating up your indoor air. You might even want to consider installing blackout curtains, which work to insulate your room and reduce temperature increases occurring in the daytime.
- Use Exhaust Fans
Install and use exhaust fans in your bathroom and/or kitchen. The kitchen exhaust fan will suck in the hot air that rises while you're cooking and the bathroom exhaust fan will draw out your shower's steam.
- Install a Whole House Fan
Late summer is a great time to install a whole house fan because they're fabulous in the fall for bringing in dry, cool fresh air. A whole house fan can help you save energy in the summer months too. They use around 10 to 15% of the wattage an AC unit uses which helps reduce your energy bill. Whole house fans work very quickly too. Depending on the fan's size, it could cool your home in a matter of minutes by pushing the warm indoor air out and letting the cool outdoor air in through your windows.
- Add High-Reflectivity Film on Your Windows
Window films are semi-transparent so they block out the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays while not blocking your view. They're also useful for windows that are expensive or difficult to fit with other types of window treatments. They usually have a few layers: one adhesive layer fitted directly on the glass, one layer of polyester film and a scratch-resistant coating.
If you expect you’ll be working from home for an extended period of time going forward, or perhaps permanently, now is a great time to install a whole house fan. Give us a call at 1.888-229-5757 if you have any questions.