Tips for Keeping Cool Without Air Conditioning

According to the ACEEE, air conditioning accounts for almost 200 million tons of carbon emission annually. The best way to immediately save money and energy wasted on your cooling equipment is to reduce the need for air conditioning in your home.

Here are a few ways you can cool off your home this summer without air conditioning:

1. Keep sun from beaming through the windows - Whether you have to keep shades down during the day or put house plans in front of extra sunny windows, you want to avoid trapping the sun's heat in your home like a greenhouse.

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2. Keep windows closed during the day and open at night - On hot summer days, it is unlikely opening your windows will add any cool air to your home. Instead, keep them shut during the day and only open them at night if there is a cool evening breeze. However, be sure to close everything back up before the sun hits your home each morning.

3. Insulate - Improving insulation, specifically in the attic, prevents heat from entering your home. If you do need to have your air on from time to time, this will help trap and retain cool air in your home well after shutting it off.

4. Get rid of bad lighting - Incandescent light bulbs and other forms of modern lighting produce as much heat as they do light.  By keeping the lights off or replacing them with more efficient fixtures, you can save your home from a lot of unnecessary heat.

5. Use fans to create ventilation - Use ceiling fans and stand-alone fans to create a in-house breeze. However, fans don't actually lower the temperature of the room, they just create a more comfortable environment, so make sure you shut them off when you leave the room.

6. Keep your body cool - If you avoid allowing your body to heat up, then you won't need as much cooling down. Avoid using the stove during hot summer months and consume cold meals instead. Salad over soup and icy beverages over hot tea are simple choices that will keep your body temperature down. A nice swim in the pool or a cool shower never hurts either!

7. Plant a tree - planting a tree on the side of your house that gets the most sun will help to block heat from getting into your home. Obviously, this is not an option for everyone given the nature of your property, but is an efficient and natural option for those who can.

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How to save Money on Your Energy Costs

We're talking about ways to save again. Between everything you have to pay for in your home, it is normal to find that the price is becoming overwhelming. That's why NY Plumbing and Sewer wants to share with you a 3-step plan by Oprah, from basic to advanced, that helps you curb your energy costs:

1. Do a home energy audit: If you know your home, you are better equipped to manage the energy it is using. Certified energy raters can identify the extent of air leakage with a blower door test. For this test, they put a powerful fan in your doorway which sends air through your home and all the tiny holes that may be letting in cold or heat. A home energy audit would require no personal labor and costs up to $500.

2. Identify leaky spots: Air infiltration is one of the easiest problems to correct and may be part of wasted energy in your home, especially if your home was built before 1970. Sealing leaky spots in your home can save you as much as 9 percent on your energy bill and all it takes is a trip to the hardware store for a caulking gun and some caulk. Moderate labor is required, however, the cost is low (under $50).

3. Reinsulate your home: Even with the heat or A/C turned all the way up, it is impossible to keep a good temperature in your home if your walls are not insulated properly. Places to check for poor insulation are your attic, basement, and crawl spaces. Different kinds of insulation are valued at different prices and it may take a few years to cover the investment. However, as many investments go, reinsulating home saves you money in the long run, especially if you have already done a home energy audit and identified leaky spots in your home. Both the labor and costs associated with reinsulating your home are high in the short run. 

For all heating services and installations, call us at 718-514-7145. Let us know what you think of this 3-step plan on our Facebook page.