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The summer heat in Tiffin, Ohio can be miserable. At Greene's we want to help you stay comfortable while keeping your electric bill low. That means helping your air conditioner cool your home efficiently. You can set yourself up for success by properly installing quality insultation, windows, and doors. Air conditioning will work much better when a house has minimal leaks. We also suggest using some of these practices to stay cool during the summer.
Curtains
We love sunlight, a bright and airy home is both inviting and relaxing! That being said, sunlight coming through your window glass can heat up your house fast. During the summer you can lower unwanted heat by 30% just by using black out curtains. Learn more about keeping your home cool this way here.
Fans
Fans can be used as an alternative to central air conditioning. Creating air movement in your home can help cool things down and keep you comfortable. Open windows on opposite sides of your home. Place fans in your windows placing the fan so that it blows air out of your house. Put fans on the SAME side of the house in more than one window, if the wind is blowing use this to your advantage and place the fans so that they are not blowing against the wind, but with it! This pulls cool air from outside into your home from one side of the house to the other. This video explains how to use cross ventilation to cool your home.
Avoid Grilling or Cooking in Air Conditioned Spaces
Using your oven, stove, or cooking appliances indoors increases the heat inside your home, causing your air conditioner to work that much harder in the summer. Try keeping these activities outdoors to improve the efficiency of your air conditioner.
Running Large Appliances at Night
Do laundry or run your dishwasher at night. It goes without saying that doing these chores during the day can increase the heat in your home. You might also consider using a clothes line and save both on laundry and cooling costs!
Set Ceiling Fans Correctly
Set your ceiling fans to the counter clockwise setting. (Usually there is a switch on your fan to change the direction that the blades are spinning.) Heat rises, and setting your fan correctly will pull the hot air upwards toward the ceiling, allowing cool air to fill the majority of the room. When ceiling fans are set incorrectly, they push the hot air from the ceiling downward, causing the room to feel warm.
Use Your Exhaust Fans
Turn on your bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans. This moves hot air that is closer to your ceiling out of your home and into the attic. If you have an attic fan, turning it on in the summer moves hot air out of your attic and pushes it through the soffit vents forcing it out of your home. Turn on that attic fan if you have one!
"Redneck" Air Conditioning Options
If you don't have central air conditioning, and the heat in your home is uncomfortable, you can place a bucket of ice in front of a house fan and blow the cooler air into your room. This is a short-term and cost effective way to stay cool on some of those hotter days in the summer.
Window Air Conditioning Units
If you aren't ready to make the plunge into central air conditioning, window units are a great option. They're more cost effective than a full system, and can help you keep bedrooms and living spaces cool and confortable.
Air Conditioner Maintenance
If you have central air conditioning, keeping your unit cleaned and serviced will help your A/C unit keep your home cooler.
Central Air Conditioning Systems
Have Greene's set you up with central air conditioning! We love to help our customers and if you are ready to make the switch to central air we are here for you! As a certified Trane dealer we have access to the best products on the market. Need a quote? Don't hesitate to call us at 419-443-8630!
