Energy-efficient Ways to Cool Down this Summer

When the summer temps soar into the 80s, 90s, or above 100, it becomes a challenge to cool the home efficiently. Central air tends to be effective, but it can be inefficient. Even if you don’t have the luxury of central air, there are a number of energy-efficient ways to cool down this summer.

Energy-efficient Ways to Cool Down this Summer

1. Haiku Ceiling Fan

This is a luxury fan, and it doesn’t come cheap. It has a price tag of over one thousand dollars for the fully-loaded version. What do you get for a grand? Air foils instead of blades, which increases efficiency. You also get wobble-free, silent technology and a remote control. If you get the fully-loaded version with SenseMe, you’ll get motion sensors, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, and Wi-Fi capabilities that give plenty of customization options. According to Big Ass Fans, the manufacturer, it is also four times more efficient than the requirements of Energy Star.

Don’t feel like spending that much on a luxury fan? Your standard fan is likely energy efficient if it is less than 5 years old or so (check for EnergyStar rating), and ceiling fans can make a room feel almost 10 degrees cooler when switched to the counter-clockwise mode, which pushes air down.

2. 

   Nest Thermostat

A Nest Thermostat is a learning thermostat, and it will help you save energy on cooling. Once installed, you manually turn up and down the thermostat as needed, and the thermostat learns what you like and takes over. It will also turn down when you leave, and you can control it from your smartphone. Its app shows how much energy you use through heating and cooling, and it recommends times when you could save energy. In this way, the Nest conserves energy by not using more than you need. It can be connected to most central air systems.

3. Smart Window Air Conditioner

You don’t have to live in the past because you have a window air conditioner. Frigidaire’s Cool Connect and other smart air conditioners are meant to give you many of the same options as Nest but from your window banger AC. Yes, this means you can control it from your smartphone, and you can set schedules for it to increase use when you are home and decrease when you leave. In some models, you can actually program the unit to only spend a certain amount of money in energy in a month. Not only does this give you efficiency, but it gives you cost control. These units aren’t all that expensive and run from about $260 to $500.

4. Smart Blinds

Any blinds, especially those with honeycomb structures that trap air, will insulate your home against the heat of summer when those rays get hot. However, smart blinds will close when the window gets hot! They can also be set up on certain schedules or be programmed to close during certain conditions. It is luxurious, but it is also energy-efficient.

5. Smart Vents

It is not typical for every room in a house to have its own thermostat, so sometimes rooms that are rarely used get the full force of the air conditioning when it isn’t necessary. You can improve the efficiency of your air conditioning unit or central air by using smart vents. Smart vents allow you to control the temperature of each room that has a smart vent from the comfort of your cell phone. Customizing how much air conditioning each room using allows for more efficient energy use.

6. Roof Insulation

Roof insulation acts as a heat barrier to either keep it in or prevent it from entering the home. It is estimated that you can lose 40 percent of your energy efficiency without proper roof insulation. This is significant and easily resolved. It’s not high-tech, but it is essential for maintaining heating and air conditioning.

7. Updated Windows

Lastly, windows can aid greatly in energy efficiency. Like insulation, double-pane window trap air and act as insulators. Triple-panes add efficiency and the reduction of outside noises, but they may not be worth the extra money. Single-pane windows should be replaced, as they just don’t cut it when it comes to efficiency and temperature control. If you are stuck with old, single-pane windows, you may want to start with an upgrade before you consider other high-tech changes.

As you can see, there are many ways to cool your home in a more efficient manner. Many options have to do with regulating temperatures, so you aren’t overusing your air conditioning units. However, many other options are more about insulating and not letting the outside heat get back in to the home once it is removed.

Energy-efficiency is better on the pocketbook. Many of these items also increase the comfort of the home by regulating energy according to your wants and needs. Even the least expensive options bring a little luxury to the home.