Category: Tips

Five ways to Cool your house without A/C

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The weather can be hard to cope and during the summer time many people struggle with high power bills because their A/C runs constantly. Here I want to offer five ways to cool your house without using your A/C.

1. Use blinds

One of the most effective ways how to cool your house without using A/C is by not letting any sunlight into our home to begin with. Heat is transferred three ways. It is transferred by conduction, which is when you touch something, convection, which is when heat is transferred by air (think convection oven), and by radiation. So, think about when you are cold and your go out and stand in the sun to warm up. This is radiation and this is what we are trying to stop by closing our blinds. If we can stop the sunlight from entering our homes then we do not have to cool them back down. Try to use blinds that do not allow any sunlight to come into your home when they are closed. This is the first way that we can combat the heat and keep our homes cool without using A/C.

2. Use curtains

This is basically the same as number one above except that curtains, when used in conjunction with blinds can make a huge difference in blocking the sunlight that enters your home. And, the thicker they are the better. Think about taking a blanket outside and blocking sunlight versus a sheet. The blanket will not let any light through while the sheet will allow some light to pass through. When the light passes through the heat is passing through as well. This is the second way that you can keep your house cool without using the A/C.

3. Use fans

By using fans we move the air around us. We can perceive a three degree difference in temperature just because the air is moving. Think about a cool spring day. As long as you are out in the sun and the wind is not blowing you are warm. But, once the wind starts blowing you need to go and get your jacket. Using fans has the same effect. Ceiling fans do a good job of mixing the air. However, to move hot air out of your house you will want to use a box fan. If you open the windows on one side of the house and place a box fan in a window on the other side of the house you will be surprised at how well this cools off the house. Even better is to use two box fans. One pushing the hot air out of the house and the other pulling the cool air into the house. Do this and your house will be cool in no time. A note that I would like to make about using the box fans is this, do it at night. If you try to do this during the day you will be pulling hot air into your house. Make sure that you wait to do this until the air outside is cooler than the air inside the house.








4. Open the windows

This may sound simple and not effective, but this can be very effective especially during spring. Opening the windows allows the air to flow naturally in and out of your house. This natural movement of air moving past your body can actually make you feel like it is cooler than it is. This is because sometimes there is more moisture in the air outside the house than inside. When our bodies are in this moist air we often feel like the air around us is cooler than it actually is. So, go ahead and open those windows! And again, this works best when the temperature outside the house is cooler than the temperature inside the house.

5. Open the doors

Opening the doors is something that we typically forget that we can do. We often think that if we just leave the door open some random person will just walk in our house. But, if we utilize this huge opening and allow it to be used just like a window we will be able to reap the rewards of using the opening just like the window!

If you put these tips to use, you will be well on your way to keeping your house cool without using the A/C! If you have a window unit check out our Top 5 Tips for Using Window Units. If your like this article be sure to visit our Facebook page and like it to keep up to date with all of our articles!










Creating an Energy-Efficient Home: A Guide to Going Green

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Introduction

So let’s say that you are planning on building a home and you are wondering what you can do to make your home the most energy efficient. What are some of the things that you need to take into account when planning for a more energy efficient home? You want to have a green home but you do not know where to start.

Here are a few tips that you can use when you are planning your green energy efficient home.

The first thing that you need to ask yourself is whether your initiative to go green is because you want to save money or because you want to save the planet. I know this sounds like a dumb question but if you are trying to go green simply because you want to save money then you may want to think about different traditional alternatives. Going green can typically save you money in the long run but the upfront cost may be prohibitive to some. If you are wanting to go green because you want to save the planet and you do not care what it costs you then thanks for helping out the rest of us! You may also want to consider investing in an energy monitoring device.

The next thing to consider about building a green home is where you are going to be building the home. In some states there are incentives to using energy efficient materials such as energy efficient windows and appliances. Another factor to take into consideration are the utility rates that you will be paying where you build your home. Often times co-ops have lower rates than municipalities. Also, large energy companies can have cheaper rates and also offer rebates on things like geothermal heat pumps.

Planning is important in the building stages of your green home. You want to make sure that you have the proper amount of insulation in your home. It does not cost much more at this point to add more insulation than is recommended and it will save you in the future. Also, be aware of your eaves and overhangs, and the Weather.

If you are trying to build a green home one of the things that you need to be aware of is that the most expensive appliance in your home is typically your heating and air system. You will most likely be looking at a central air conditioning system instead of using Window Units. If you can plan ahead and put in extra insulation and plan so that you have no direct sunlight coming into your home during the day in the summer and have direct sunlight coming in during the winter your heat and air will not need to come on and off as often to keep you comfortable.

Green appliances are also a must. Get the highest SEER heating and cooling system that you can afford. Which leads to my next recommendation. You may also consider installing a smart thermostat to help your HVAC system run more efficiently. Currently for most people it is cheaper to heat, cook and heat water with gas. This may vary depending on your location. If you can put in gas it would be to your advantage.




Another option is out there for heating your home. It is called a water stove and they are becoming very popular. Heating your home and your water can be upwards of more than 2/3 of your power bill. If you have access to cheap or free wood to burn and do not mind a little elbow grease this is a very good way to heat your home and your water.

Water stoves are basically boilers that heat water. They then use a heat exchanger to transfer that heat to the water. Finally, the hot water flows to your hot water tank and heats your home. They are typically installed away from the home because of the smoke and lines are run into the house.

Another thing that you can do to keep sun off of your house is to plant plants that have large leaves that provide good shade. This helps especially on the west side of the house to keep the hot setting sun off of the house.

Which reminds me that you want to make sure that you have south facing windows. These windows will allow sunlight in all year long without the sunlight being too direct.