Cooling Tips

• During the summer months set your thermostat to 78-85 degrees.
• Don't block air circulation at registers.
• Make sure fans are going counterclockwise, creating a downdraft and making the room feel 8 degrees cooler.
• Clean up around your air conditioner. Outdoor condenser coils can become dirty and blocked, which makes your unit work harder and increases your cooling bill. Allow for adequate air flow to your unit by cleaning the area around the condenser coil, removing any debris, and trimming foliage back at least two feet.
• Don't place heat producing items near your thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these items, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary. Make sure your thermostat isn't placed in the light of a sunny window.
• Keep your condensation line clear. Condensate lines drain away the moisture your air conditioning unit creates.
• Install a programmable thermostat.
• Avoid creating heat. When possible, delay heat-generating activities, such as cooking and dishwashing, until evening on hot days.
• Use a whole-house fan. Whole house fans help cool your home by pulling cool air through the house and exhausting warm air through the attic, and they allow you to give your air conditioner a break. They are effective when operated at night and when the outside air is cooler than the inside.
• Use fans with a window air conditioning unit. Consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your room without greatly increasing your power use.
• Change your air filter monthly.
• Shade your air-conditioner. Plant trees or shrubs to shade air-conditioning units, but be sure not to block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10 percent less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.
• Shade sun exposed windows and exterior walls. During the cooling season, shade windows with window coverings, awnings, trees, and bushes wherever possible. Exterior shading is more effective than interior shading.
• Seal off unused areas. Close/cover supply and return registers in unused rooms.
• Make sure you have adequate insulation in your attic.
• Change incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent lamps. They emit 90 percent less heat for the same amount of light.
• Washers, dryers, dishwashers, and water heaters generate large amounts of heat and humidity. To gain the most benefit, seal off your laundry room and water heater from the rest of the house.
• Repaint the building exterior with light colors. Light colors reflect the sun away from the building, thus lowering air-conditioning expenses.