How To Stay Cool in Your Home This Summer

Walking into a house that is hotter than it is outside is miserable, and it is worse when you are paying for the privilege. Northwest Arkansas summers bring long stretches of heat and thick humidity, and an air conditioner can only do so much against sunshine pouring through the windows. These habits cost almost nothing and cut down the work your system has to do.

Keep your blinds closed

Sunlight coming through a window turns into heat inside the room. Keeping blinds and curtains closed keeps out that excess sunlight, which means your system needs less energy to keep the house cool. Less energy used means less money spent. Focus first on windows that face south and west, since they take the strongest afternoon sun. Light-colored or blackout-lined curtains help even more, and closing them in the morning is better than waiting until the room is already warm.

Switch to energy saving bulbs

Old incandescent bulbs give off most of their energy as heat, and a room with several of them running is noticeably warmer. Switching to energy saving bulbs, such as LEDs, helps keep the home cooler and trims your electric bill at the same time. The change is easy to make one lamp or fixture at a time, and you will see it on the monthly bill.

Close doors to rooms you are not using

Closing the doors to rooms nobody is using keeps cool air where you need it most. A spare bedroom or an office that sits empty all day does not need to be part of the cooling load. One caution: keep the supply vents in those rooms open and do not close more than a few, because shutting too many vents can upset the airflow through the system.

More ways to beat the heat

• Run ceiling fans counterclockwise in summer so they push air down over you. Turn them off when you leave, since fans cool people, not rooms.
• Cook outdoors or in the cooler evening hours, and run the bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans to pull out heat and steam.
• Keep the thermostat steady. A programmable or smart thermostat can ease the setting when no one is home and cool the house again before you return.
• Seal gaps around windows and doors with caulk or weather-stripping so cool air stays inside.
• Keep the air filter clean and the area around the outdoor unit clear so the system can breathe.

What if the house still will not cool?

Staying cool during the summer is a priority, and these steps should make a clear difference. If the thermostat reads one thing and the rooms feel another, some rooms stay warm while others run cold, or the system runs all day without catching up, the problem may be the equipment and not the house. Weak airflow, warm air from the vents, ice on the lines, and water around the indoor unit are all reasons to have someone look at it, and the sooner the better in a long Arkansas summer.

If you try these things and still cannot keep your house cool, Allied would love to come out and assess the problem. Call (479) 278-4508 in Springdale. Allied offers same-day service for many plumbing, HVAC, and electrical calls depending on availability. Allied's A-Team memberships also include a scheduled cooling tune-up each year.