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4 Eco-Friendly Ways to Keep Your Home Cool This Summer


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4 Eco-Friendly Ways to Keep Your Home Cool This Summer

Keep Cool This Summer

During these hot summer months, keeping your air conditioner on full blast can cause your electricity bills to skyrocket. But as the temperatures rise, it may be difficult to avoid keeping your AC on more often in order to avoid overheating.

Here are a few easy and eco-friendly ways you can keep your home cool this summer, while also helping you save on electricity costs.

Keep Indoor Plants

Believe it or not, plants can help keep your home cool! Plants consume water and sunlight to create their own food during photosynthesis, and this process allows plants to absorb heat.

During transpiration, plants release moisture into the air, which can help reduce the temperature in a room by as much as 10 degrees, according to the University of Vermont Extension.

Keep Your Windows Shaded

The sunlight that gets into your home can create a great deal of heat during the day. By keeping your windows shaded, you can prevent direct sunlight from entering and heating up your home.

Drapes can help reduce heat gain from windows by roughly 33%, and simply closing the blinds can lower your cooling bill by up to 15%.

Run Appliances at Night

Many indoor activities can generate heat in your home, especially during the day. By waiting until the evening to perform many household tasks, you can prevent excessive heat from spreading throughout your home, and even save on energy costs.

Things you should try:

  • Avoid cooking on the stove or in the oven during the day. Instead, try making cold meals such as salads and sandwiches.
  • Wash clothes in cold water, and hang them to dry.
  • Shower at night to prevent your bathroom from filling up with warm, humid air.
  • Run the dishwasher only when it’s full and preferably during the night.

Use Ceiling Fans

To help cut down on energy costs, try using ceiling fans to help cool your rooms. They require less energy to use, and can help make a room feel up to 7 degrees cooler as the warm air is distributed in your home.

Got any other eco-friendly ideas for keeping your home cool during the summer? Please feel free to share your ideas in the comment section below!

Resources:
Earth 911 – 5 Home Energy Efficiency Strategies To Keep Summer Cool
Forbes – Eco-Friendly Ways to Keep Your Apartment Cool this Summer

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Ruthann Hendrickson
Ruthann Hendrickson
8 years ago

Wow! Another good reason to have plants in your home!

Carleen Barnes
8 years ago

I had no idea plants absorbed heat. AMAZING!!!

Stephanie Footit
Stephanie Footit
8 years ago

These are some great tips! Especially about plants! They’re so good for your house!

Tiffany Jones
Tiffany Jones
8 years ago

I just have to remember to water those plants! haha πŸ™‚

Alicia Butler
Alicia Butler
8 years ago
Reply to  Tiffany Jones

This would be my issue too πŸ™‚ Definitely not a green thumb

Christy Owens
Christy Owens
8 years ago

Great ideas! I didn’t realize that plants in the house would keep temperatures stable…good to know πŸ™‚

Marra Brooks
Marra Brooks
8 years ago

Growing up in West Texas you get used to the heat pretty well. Keeping our house cool especially in the summers was really costly, I would have loved some of these ideas back then. Thanks for the post!

Elna
8 years ago

Hi Amy Cadora,

Great post! Thank you so much for sharing this very insightful article about 4 Eco-Friendly ways to keep our home cool this summer.

This is really helpful.

Ruth E Simmons
Ruth E Simmons
5 years ago

All great ideas that work!!