Money is tight for everyone these days, and with summer coming up, you’re probably thinking of ways to cut your cooling costs. You can save a lot of money on cooling by simply adjusting your thermostat, but doesn’t that mean you’ll be sweating out the whole summer?

Not necessarily. There are several things you can do around the house to keep cool while saving on energy costs. Follow these tips to cut your cooling costs and stay comfortable.

Shade Your Windows

Sunlight beating in through your windows heats your house up during the day, but if you can block the sunlight from reaching your windows, you’ll keep the inside of your house much cooler. Installing awnings or shutters on your windows is the most effective way to keep the brutal rays of the sun from even reaching your window glass. But if you don’t have that kind of budget, don’t worry.

You can shade your windows by planting trees and shrubs in front of them, or by using the right kinds of window treatments. Choose honeycomb or cellular blinds that use pockets of air to add insulation to the inside of your windows. These kinds of blinds will keep hot air out in the summer and keep your home cool. They can also provide heat savings in the winter.

Cultivate Non-Invasive Vines on the South Side of Your House

Plants help cool the air around them through a process known as transpiration, through which they “sweat” water vapor from their leaves. This creates humidity, which cools down the air. Plants also block sunlight and create shade. 

Growing plants on the south side of your house can help keep your house cool because it creates a layer of cooler air on the outside of your house. Vines are the best choice because they grow quickly. Many vines can cover the entire side of a house in a matter of weeks. You can choose an ornamental vine, like morning glory, or an edible vine, like green beans. Just make sure you choose a non-invasive, or you’ll never be able to get rid of it.

Turn on Your Ceiling Fan

Ceiling fans are an important weapon in the war against summer heat. Use your ceiling fans in the summer and make sure the blades are spinning counter-clockwise for maximum air circulation. A ceiling fan can allow you to turn your thermostat up by at least four degrees without feeling any hotter. If you don’t have any ceiling fans, they’re easy to install, and you can even buy ceiling fans with remote controls or Bluetooth connectivity so you can control them easily.

Air Out the House at Night

You should keep your doors and windows shut during the day to keep the heat out, but once night falls, you should open them all to air the place out. Open windows on opposite sides of the house to create a cross breeze that can flush out stuffy air and replace it with fresh, cool air. Place a fan in one window, facing outward, to pull hot air out of the house and encourage cool air to flow in. Once your house has cooled off, you can close your windows and pull the blinds to keep that cool air in all the next day.

Run Large Appliances at Non-Peak Hours

Running your large appliances at non-peak hours can help you save money on your electricity bill not only because energy is cheaper at non-peak times, but also because you can open up your windows to let the heat these appliances create escape from your house. Using large appliances during the day adds heat to your house during the hours when your air conditioner has to work the hardest to keep things cool. Even using the vacuum cleaner can heat up your house.

Install a Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat can easily be programmed so that you’re only running your A/C during hours when you’re actually in the house. That will save you a lot of money if everyone is gone all day. You’ll also be able to control your smart thermostat from your phone, so if you need to come home early one day, for example, you can tell the smart thermostat to kick the air on early. Otherwise, you can let the house warm up during the day and save on cooling costs.

Summertime doesn’t have to mean making a choice between saving money and suffering with the heat or being comfortable. You can stay nice and cool and still keep your cooling costs manageable. Just take steps to cool your house naturally and keep the heat out, so you can turn up the thermostat and save big.

Author: Samantha W

Cover image by Erik Mclean on Unsplash