Reducing Your Need for Full-On A/C

There’s no arguing with the relief that air conditioning can provide when the mercury soars into the upper reaches of the thermometer. Keeping the air on full blast during triple-digit heat waves can do more than simply improve personal comfort; it can greatly assist in preventing heat stroke and even death.

For those times when air conditioning is preferable but not outright necessary, there are a few tips that you can follow to reduce your need to run you’re A/C system at peak levels. In fact, reducing your need for A/C can save energy and money. Here’s how to help in cutting back:

Coordinate Your Fan Response: Synchronize the working of various fans in your living or office area. During the summer, ceiling fans should rotate in such a way as to blow air down (and, during the winter, use ceiling fans to create an updraft to help heating air rise). Position floor fans right in front of you, and consider giving yourself a watery mist now and then with a spray bottle. At night, try to create positive air flow across sleeping areas by positioning one fan near an open window, drawing in air, and placing another at an open window at the opposite end of the floor/house, helping to maintain continuous flow.

Eat Cold: Hot and spicy foods tend to turn up body temperature. On hot days, try cooler foods, such as fruit salad. If you must cook, consider grilling outdoors or using the microwave, as the stove will quickly heat up your kitchen.

Turn Down the Lights: Or turn them off altogether, so long as you have sufficient illumination for safety purposes. Many light bulbs are efficient, but some still generate as much or more heat as they do light. And why keep the big-screen TV humming in the background when no one is watching it? Another heat source that’s possible to eliminate.

Shield Your Outer Walls: This includes planting deciduous trees in the right places – the east and west sides of your home -- so as to take maximum advantage of shade in summer and the sunshine in winter. Awnings are another accessory that can dramatically reduce the amount of heat entering your home through windows and sliding doors.

Cool Off Naturally: Take a cold shower or go for a swim. When you emerge, pause before drying, as water evaporating from your skin will provide even greater cooling benefits.