Keeping cool thread. Saving in the summer.

[Crystallas]

Everyone has their methods to save on energy and air conditioning through the hot summer. What do you do thats diffrent?

Heres a few to kick it off.

Utilizing a basement/crawlspace.
-Storing your beverages in the basement.
-Use/Build a summer room
-Hanging clothes to dry

Rearanging
-Move seating away from windows or paths of sunlight.
-Keep appliances in optimal position for ventelation and heat transfer.

Solar
-Instal pannels for a long term investment.
-Longer daylight time means less light being used, change timers.
-Consider using solar powered appliances when possible.


Please share your tips. Maybe we might get a few that are less obvious than mine

[Ima saver]

Stand in the creek all day!!

[34saving]

Keep the furnace fan running (esp. those of us in splits). Change the furnace fliter. Do as much as you can on the grill. Cook/do laundry/run dishwasher at night. Keep the air conditioner clean. Try to provide shade for the outdoor part of your air conditioner. (Be sure not to block air flow though.) Keep the blinds closed on the "sunny side" of the house. Take a cool bath or shower before bed.

[pyotr]

A good cheap cooling method is to use evaporative cooling - when you air dry from a wet condition, several degrees of body heat is lost along with the water evaporation. You could for instance keep a tub filled with room temperature water - get in naked, then air dry: you'll be amazed at how much cooler you become. You could use this method to avoid turning on your A/C unit til well into the Summer. Of course you have to stay naked which is frowned upon in polite society.

[DivaJen]

Come live on the SoCal coast where we're socked in with "June gloom" fog for weeks on end. I had to use my windshield wipers this morning with all the moisture in the air...

[Lori63]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

Stand in the creek all day!!

Is that an invitation?

[Ima saver]

Yep, come on down!!

[Crystallas]

Keeping an inventory of what is in your refridgerator helps a lot. I started this little experiment about 3 months ago, and my power consumption went down an average of 60kwh a month(actively software monitored because I have solar and grid power.)

[smooper]

Draw fan in the upper floor of the house, also, try not to draw really hot air in the mid-day, just use ceiling fans at that time.

[Thrif-t]

I live in a split and our upstairs always seemed hot w/the air on unless we turned it down to like 66 degrees...well now I've learned a new trick, get a tension rod and put it across your stairwell and hang a sheet or shower curtain on and weigh down the bottom (we use door stops on each side) and you'll be surprised at the cool air that stays upstairs instead of floating downstairs. Keeps the upstairs way cooler now.

[PrincessPerky]

Don't turn the air on and go outside, comming in from 90-100 degree weather to a 80 degree house is nice and cool, comming in to 70 is COLD, and going back out is hard, so try not to shock your system.....