Keep the Hot Air Out and the Cool Air In

How To Keep Your Home Cool in the Heat

When it is hot I do all the right things to keep my very hot house cool. I am sure it helps but it is still way too hot for me. Recently I had guests in the house who seem to have no idea! So the house is extra hot!!! I have told them over and over so I decided to research the topic and write up a list for them; this is how this article was inspired. I have printed one for each of them. 🙂

1. Keep the sun out.

As soon as the sun hits your house in the morning, close all blinds, drapes and windows especially on this side of the house which is the east side. This can be as early as 5 or 6 in the morning in some areas.
Keep doors and windows closed during out the hottest part of the day. Do this until the evening when it’s cool enough to open the windows for the night.
Opening windows during the day will bring refreshing air in, but this incoming warm air will gradually heat up the whole house. It is best not to leave windows open if rooms are empty. In an occupied room, opening a window for just a few minutes will bring some fresh air in and hot air too.

2. Open the windows at night.

Open all windows so that cooler night air is blowing in throughout the evening.
Leave all interior doors open (closets and kitchen cabinets) helps, too. Leaving them closed, they store the daytime heat and your house won’t cool off as much at night.

3. Don’t create excess heat.

Appliances and lighting create heat when in use. Turn off unnecessary lighting.
Computers are big heat creators.
Try to use appliances during the coolest part of the day. Avoid using the stove or oven for food preparation, enjoy a salad or a sandwich, and use the outside grill.

4. Avoid steam.

During the day, don’t take a hot shower; have your shower at night.
Don’t wash dishes and clothes or cook until after dark. Make sure your pot lids are tight-fitting.

5. Fans don’t cool rooms, they cool people.

Fans don’t decrease heat, they increase it. The heat generated by the motor does more to heat the room than it does to cool it.
Fans blowing air over the skin increases evaporation thus cooling the body.
Fans replace stagnant air by bringing in fresh cooler air if the outside air is cooler.
When the temperature drops at night, open windows placing fans as close to the window as you can to draw in cool air (on a window sill is best). Position room fans for maximum air circulation. If you’re using a window fan, open another window across the room to provide good cross ventilation.
For an extra cool breeze, place a frozen water bottle in front of the fan. Attic fans can also pull in cooler air from outside.
A fan going in an unoccupied room heats up the room and is a waste of electricity. Running fans in empty rooms to keep them cool is not working. Turn off your fan to stay cooler and reduce your electricity bills.