Summer is a beautiful time, full of things to do. With the Summer months comes warmer weather and that means we need cool areas to take a break from the Summer heat.  

What ways can you keep your house cool, without cranking the AC? Here are some of our faves!

1- Unplug what isn’t necessary to have on – you will be surprised at the amount of energy that plugged in, but not used appliances are using and the heat they produce.  Unplug the toaster, the kettle, the hair dryer, etc. Not only will it save you a little money, but it can cut back a little of the heat being produced. 

2- BBQ outside and don’t turn on the stove or oven. BBQ and eat cold sides for dinner and you won’t have to worry about cooling the house down after meals.

3- Fan – yes you know that fans help move around the air, but if you put the bathroom fans on, they can also help reduce humidity in the air.  A good way to keep things from getting too ‘sticky’ inside. Also, make sure your ceiling fan is set to take the heat away not blow it down on you. The settings should be in your manual and can help make the fan even more effective. 

4- Keep the blinds or window coverings closed.  We know, that’s tough when you want it to be really bright and sunny inside, but the closed windows during the day (especially when you aren’t home) will help reduce natural light getting in and heating your rooms up. 

5- Shade outside of your windows – so the brightness of the house is still there, but there will be a nice shade around the windows to keep them cool and decrease the amount of direct sunlight. 

The most useful tip we can give you to keep your house cool?  Get your AC checked by a professional and make sure that it is being maintained correctly.  It isn’t pretty when the AC goes out (financially or otherwise).  

If all else fails, make sure to keep some cash on hand for the Ice Cream truck that comes around your neighbourhood!

 

Happy Summer Nanaimo!