As climate change brings hotter summers in Denver, it’s a safe bet that your air conditioning bills are rising as well. But there’s more than one way to beat the heat.
How can you keep your home cool without breaking the bank?
Here are some tips from Huffpost:
Close your blinds: Significant heat comes from the sun beating on your windows. An easy fix? Close the blinds. This can save as much as 7% on your AC bill and lower the temperature in the house by up to 20 degrees, notes Huffpost.
Open windows to the cool night air: Denver’s summer nights can be gloriously cool. Open the windows to let the air in. Then close them first thing in the morning to trap the colder air inside as the day heats up.
Close the door to unused rooms during the day: This will stop the flow of cool air to these spaces and redirect it elsewhere. At night, open the doors again to let cool air from outside flow easily through the home.
Change ceiling fans to rotate counter clockwise: “You may not realize that your ceiling fan needs to be adjusted seasonally,” notes Huffpost. In the summer, set the fans to run counter-clockwise and at a higher speed. “[T]he fan’s airflow will create a wind-chill breeze effect that will make you and your guests feel cooler.”
Shift to cotton sheets: Cotton “breathes easier and stays cooler,” reports Huffpost.
Add venting: Installing ventilation to your roof and soffits will cool down the home and bring an added benefit, as well: It helps protect your shingles and adds years to your roof’s lifespan.