Tips for Keeping Your House Cool

The Air Masters Team Offers Tips for Keeping Your House Cool

Rely on Us for Air Conditioner Repair in Frisco, TX & Beyond

As summer edges closer with its sweltering outdoor temperatures of 80 degrees or higher, many Texans begin to lose their cool. If you’re like most budget-conscious homeowners, you may not be enthusiastic about turning on your air conditioning until it’s necessary. As air conditioner repair specialists in the Frisco, Plano, McKinney, and Dallas-Fort Worth areas, Air Masters is dedicated to keeping you comfortable year-round. Below, we’ve brainstormed ways for you to keep your house cool without resorting to cranking up the air conditioning before it’s time to do so. Give us a call for more tips and tricks or to schedule your next AC repair with our expert residential service technicians across Texas.

Consider Keeping Your Blinds Closed During the Day

Since direct sunlight streaming into your home can increase your indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees, simply shutting your blinds during the day can go a long way to improving your comfort. Nearly 30% of your home’s unwanted heat comes through your windows and becomes trapped inside your home via a phenomenon called the greenhouse effect. Keeping your blinds closed – especially those on windows facing west or south – during the sunniest part of the day can save you up to 7% on your next energy bill. You can also go a step further and invest in light-colored blinds or energy-efficient blackout curtains that won’t absorb as much heat. Can’t afford fancy new blinds this year? Try blocking the sunlight and heat with cardboard in your windows. Trust us; it’s better than nothing!

Open Your Windows to Let in a Cool Breeze at Night

When the temperatures are significantly cooler at night, that’s the time to open the blinds and windows. Letting a cool breeze blow through your home may help you sleep better at night. If you have a fan, you can create a tunnel effect by cracking open a window at one end of the house and opening another on the opposite side of the house with your fan strategically placed to let in the perfect cross-breeze.

Invest in Ceiling Fans & Set Them to Rotate Counter-Clockwise

Investing in house and ceiling fans can keep you cool without you resorting to using your air conditioning before summer begins. You can create a windchill breeze effect by setting your fans to run counter-clockwise at a higher speed during the summer. Running your ceiling fans counter-clockwise draws cooler air upwards. Ceiling fans aren’t regulated indoors. You can install them outdoors on your patio or porch for added comfort. Also, be sure to turn on your bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans to rid these rooms of hot air after someone takes a hot shower or whenever you cook a large meal.

Put off Chores Involving Heated Appliances Until Nighttime

Many appliances generate large amounts of heat while they’re running, including your dishwasher, washer, and dryer. Try putting off doing the dishes or laundry until nighttime if you can afford to wait. If your appliances aren’t very noisy, consider running them when you’re asleep. Likewise, your stove and oven also generate heat when you’re cooking. Try not to do as much heavy cooking during the heat of the day. Consider making sandwiches and lighter fare or invest in a grill to cook your meals outdoors and ditch your 400-degree oven altogether during the hot and humid summer months. The grill isn’t just for cooking hamburgers and hot dogs anymore. Get creative and throw on some veggies, pizza, fish, BBQ chicken, or even a fruit cobbler for dessert. Your family will enjoy eating outdoors together, especially if you plan your cookouts after the sun has begun to set!

Swap Out the Flannel Blankets for Crisp, Cool Cotton Sheets

While you may need flannel blankets during the winter, spring is the time to replace them with crisp, cool cotton sheets. Cotton stays cooler than fleece and other bedding materials. Some even swear by buckwheat pillows because they don’t stick to your body heat as much as conventional pillows do.

Invest in Smarter Light Bulbs Instead of Incandescent Lights

Incandescent light bulbs get very hot. You may be surprised to learn that incandescent light bulbs waste as much as 90% of their energy in the heat they emit. Consider tossing these energy guzzlers to the curb and replacing them with more energy-efficient bulbs to lower your electric bills and keep the inside of your home much cooler by comparison.

Portable Air Conditioning Units Offer Short-Term Relief

Portable air conditioning units can keep you cool in smaller spaces. You can easily carry them from room to room, so you can experience relief with cold air wherever you need it. You could also consider a window AC unit or a small air conditioner to use seasonally. Mini-split air conditioning systems can be mounted in any room of the house and are ideal for ductless homes. Whatever your air conditioning needs, Air Masters would be happy to help you devise a solution!

Consider Insulated Window Films & Other Home Improvements

Adding insulated window films is a convenient way to regulate your indoor temperatures by reducing the amount of heat coming in from your windows. These beauties also work for you in reverse, trapping warm air inside during the colder months. Many homeowners also keep their cool by adding awnings or planting trees and other greenery near light-facing windows on their home. You may not notice an immediate payoff by planting a tree or shrub, but eventually, the shade and privacy will be worth the investment. Not to mention greenery enhances your home’s curb appeal, should you ever wish to sell.

Repaint the Exterior of Your Home to a Lighter Shade

Just as the color choice of your blinds or curtains matters, so too does the shade you choose for your home’s exterior. If trapped heat inside your Texas home seems to be a problem year after year, consider repainting your home to a lighter color that doesn’t absorb as much heat and sunlight. Likewise, it could be time to consider a new roof that offers better heat protection, such as slate, tile, or metal, instead of the traditional asphalt shingles found on many homes.

Invest in a Programmable Thermostat for Your AC Unit

Have you thought about making the switch to a programmable thermostat for your AC unit? A programmable thermostat will help regulate your indoor temperatures even when you are not at home, resulting in less wasted energy and reduced energy costs. Programmable thermostats make your home’s air conditioning run more efficiently for improved service and peace of mind.

Keep Your Internal Body Temperature Cooler, Not the House

You can also do things to keep your internal body temperature cooler that don’t revolve around sitting in front of a fan or the AC unit. Drink plenty of cold, refreshing beverages and wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing that won’t attract the sun’s rays or stick to you if you begin to sweat. Soak in a cold bubble bath or take a cold shower if you don’t have a backyard swimming pool you can dip into for an afternoon swim. You may also consider applying a cold cloth to your neck, wrists, or feet to lower your body temperature. Since heat rises, consider sleeping on the lowest level of your home or putting your mattress closer to the floor. As crazy as it sounds, we’ve even heard of some people slightly wetting their sheets and putting them in the freezer right before bedtime to keep more comfortable at night.

Keep Up With Air Conditioning Preventative Maintenance

The secret to indoor comfort often lies in having an efficiently running air conditioning system. Remembering to change your AC filters and keeping up with a preventative maintenance plan are critical to avoiding untimely breakdowns and costly air conditioning repairs. Air Masters’ preventive maintenance program includes a spring AC tune-up to ensure all of your AC unit’s mechanical components are inspected, checked, and verified annually.

Our AC technicians will calibrate and adjust your thermostat, lubricate motor bearings, check the amps and volts on all motors, replace filters and any other worn components, and more during your AC tune-up. We’ll also replace your unit’s Freon if needed and give you discounted AC repairs with priority service should you need them. Are you worried about financing emergency air conditioning repairs? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered with AC financing options through Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Contact us to begin discussing your AC options with our friendly experts today!