Few things are as sweltering as the Texas summer heat. Oftentimes, cranking up the fan and blasting the air conditioning just doesn't cut it. Luckily, a few local professionals know a thing or two about keeping your home cool.
Heat Prevention
You’ll first want to prevent excess heat from entering your home. Graber Blinds’ new product development executive director Julia Dorn says window shades can help block out most of the heat from entering through your windows and doors.
“Cooling a home can get costly in the hot summer months, but the right window treatments can offer a stylish and economic solution,” Julia says. “This allows users to block the sun from streaming through windows during peak times, limit the burden on your cooling system and maximize energy savings.”
Incandescent lightbulbs can also make rooms hotter, so billyGo president Adam Mennenga recommends replacing them with LED lights. Attics can also invite unwanted warm air into your home, so Texas Air Doctors co-owner Mike Gossett recommends installing an insulated air tent.
“Even a tight pull-down stair will allow almost 150 degrees of attic air to enter your home every five and a half minutes,” Mike says.
Increase Airflow
Mike says getting a tuneup for your air conditioner can help it run better and cool more.
“Dirt or obstructions on the outdoor condenser can easily increase your cooling cost by up to 40% and reduce the cooling capacity of a 5-ton system to that of a 3-ton system,” Mike says. “An improperly running air conditioner will not cool properly.”
Dirt can also affect your home’s airflow, so Adam recommends changing your air filter frequently to eliminate any potential obstructions.
“Dirty air filters restrict airflow through the system, making it less efficient and working it harder than necessary,” Adam says. “A/C technicians can change them for you as part of a tuneup.”
Retain Air Circulation
Once you have fully optimized your airflow, you’ll want to retain circulation. Keeping doors and windows closed keeps air circulating in individual rooms, and checking the insulation will help you determine if there are any breaches that need to be sealed. Adam also recommends using ceiling fans.
“Ceiling fans do a great job of moving large amounts of air in a room, even with the A/C running,” Adam says. “Set fans to rotate counter-clockwise to push the air downward and keep the air moving.”
There are several other applications you can use to keep your house cool. Air circulators like the Dyson pure cool keeps air flowing while air coolers like the Agilly cooling tower melts ice packs into its vents for a frostier breeze. Rehau radiant floors can help your feet stay cold, and the Flair smart vents adjust the temperature with your smartphone. Stay cool, Southlake!