Keeping Cool Without A/C:
Summer is here – and while Edmontonians are excited to celebrate the warm and sunny season, most of us are looking to leave the heat outside and keep our homes comfortable and cool. Thanks to our friends over at Weiss-Johnson, locally owned heating, cooling and home comfort specialists, we are able to share a great list of cooling tips for homes without air conditioning.
- Keep Your Blinds Closed – Its estimated that up to 30 percent of unwanted heat comes from your windows. Strategically utilizing shades and curtains can save you up to 7 percent on bills and lower indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees.
- Put Your Fan on Ice – fill a Pyrex or plastic bowl with water, freeze it to a solid block in your freezer, and position it in front of large fan so the air current blows across the ice. The bigger the bowl the longer this will last. Don’t just use ice cubes, as they melt to fast.
- Run Your Ceiling Fans Counter-Clockwise – you may not realize that ceiling fans needs to be adjusted seasonally. Set your fan to run counter-clockwise a higher speed, the fan’s airflow will create a breeze effect and you’ll feel cooler.
- Use the Ventilation Technology in Your Home – turn on your bath fans or the exhaust fan in your kitchen. Hot air rises and having these on during the day will help expel it from your home. Just don’t leave your windows open at the same time, as the negative air pressure these fans create will pull more hot air in from the outdoors.
- Let the Night Air In – when the temperature drops slightly at night turn off your bath fans and crack your windows before you go to bed. Try to create a cross breeze by opening windows on the opposite sides of your home or by using a fan to create a forced wind tunnel. Just be sure to close the windows and blinds as the temperature starts to rise in the morning.
- Get Rid of Your Old Lightbulbs – if you still have incandescent lights, make the switch to new LED lights. Incandescent bulbs waste 90 percent of their energy in the heat they emit and with the Alberta Energy Program bringing down the cost of LED lights so much, getting rid of your old lights is inexpensive. Not only will you cut back on heat in the summer you will save money on your electrical bills all year long.
- Use Your Furnace to Circulate Air – if your furnace has an ECM / DC blower motor, set your thermostat to fan mode and have the fan run on low for 24 hours a day. Your electricity costs to do this are minimal and by blending your warm upper floor air with your cooler basement air your home will feel fresher and have less stagnant air.
- Cook on the BBQ – using your oven or stove in the summer will make your house hotter. Avoid the heat by cooking on the grill and enjoy some barbequed tasty treats!
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