People who dislike summertime are truly hard to come by. As the foremost season for outdoor recreation, travel and assorted fun, summer is the preferred time of year for people of all ages. However, despite all the great things the summer season brings, the sweltering heat many areas receive during this period can make homes immensely uncomfortable. Whether you’re trying to relax during the day or settle into bed for the night, an untenably hot residence can make these simple tasks impossible. Luckily, beating the heat and turning your residence into a comfortably cool haven from extreme temps isn’t nearly as difficult as you may think.
Have Your AC System Serviced Annually
A functional air conditioning system represents many households’ primary line of defense against blazing summer heat. However, in order for your AC system to do its job effectively and efficiently, it will need to be serviced on an annual basis. As is the case with any high-end appliance, key components wear down over time and regular tune-ups are needed to keep things running smoothly. Failure to make an annual service call is likely to result in uneven cooling and an AC system that works much harder than it needs to. An experienced professional will be able to administer a thorough system cleaning, pinpoint any prospective problems and swap out worn-down parts in a timely manner. Sure, annual service calls will cost a little bit of money, but they’re a lot cheaper than the large-scale repairs not making them will result in.
In addition to making annual service calls, make sure to have any AC issues you encounter addressed posthaste. Even if a problem seems relatively small, allowing it to linger is liable to make things substantially worse – and costlier to repair. Just remember that the sooner you have a problem taken care of, the less of an impact the repairs are likely to have on your finances.
Cook Outside Whenever Possible
Using your oven can increase the temperature of both your kitchen and any areas in the immediate vicinity. During the chilly winter months, this can be rather convenient, but throughout the sweltering summer months, it can prove extremely uncomfortable. That being the case, make an effort to use your oven sparingly during the summertime, especially during daylight hours. If you absolutely must use your oven, try to do so after the sun has gone down, and use your kitchen’s exhaust fan to get rid of the excess heat.
Install Dependable Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are among the most effective summertime cooling aids. By installing them in key areas throughout your home, you can help circulate the cool air produced by your AC system. Alternatively, if you set your fans’ blades to spin counterclockwise, you’ll enable them to produce downward-flowing cool breezes of their own.
Since ceiling fans are available in an extensive variety of shapes and sizes, finding fans that are perfectly suited to your home’s cooling needs should be a piece of cake. For example, if you have a smaller residence with limited ceiling space to spare, look into buying a flush mounted ceiling fan.
Block Direct Sunlight
Since the powerful summer sun can lead to noticeable indoor temperature increases, you should take measures to block direct sunlight during the daytime hours. Outfitting your windows with sun-blocking blackout screens and/or curtains can dramatically reduce the amount of sunlight that finds its way into your home over the summer. Furthermore, since both of these tools are available on even the tightest budget, keeping sunlight at bay shouldn’t prove financially strenuous.
It’s easy to see why so many of us regard summer as our favorite season. Warm weather, time off and agreeable travel conditions combine to form a trifecta of fun that can’t be found during any other time of year. Still, the excessive heat this season brings stands to make things uncomfortable around the old homestead. Since one’s home is supposed to represent a relaxing haven from the stressors of the outside world, having your residence transformed into an oven by intense summertime heat can be extremely disheartening. Anyone looking to keep their home nice and comfy all summer long should consider the measures discussed above.
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