Saving Money on AC Expenses in the Home

By: Annabelle Krieger
Submitted: 2008-09-30 00:04:18
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Everyone values their air conditioner on a hot summer day. If you leave your air on always, your power bill will get expensive very quickly. Using air conditioning this frequently also hurts the environment, as air conditioners release carbon dioxide into the environment. The U.S. Department of Energy released a report that stated that American heating and cooling systems were responsible for half a billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the air yearly. This makes an impact on global warming too. There are ways that you can be cool and comfortable in your home without depending on air conditioning so heavily.

Having trees around your home is a great way to keep your home cool. Shade makes a huge impact on the temperature of your home. The chief thing to do is to select a type of tree that will grow quickly and start to provide you shade faster. Pick a variety of tree that will grow speedily such as willow oak or red maple. You can talk to employees from the local nursery or a garden expert to pick the perfect variety of tree for your climate. The best place to plant your trees is on the southern and western side of your home so that your house gets the most amount of shade possible.

Window treatments consist of shades, blinds and insulated drapes. Although these items can be decorative in your home, they serve a much more important function of keeping your home cool. The best thing to do is to have your windows covered during the hottest part of the day or when bright light is coming through the window. This will decrease your cooling costs. If you use drapes, keep them snuggly fitted close to the window to get the most significant benefit. Also, light colored window treatments are the best option because they won't soak up the heat coming in the window.

Another option to contemplate is a shade screen, also called a solar shield. These are made to reflect heat and sunlight and only let though one-tenth of the sunrays that hit the shield. Shade screens can be expensive, but they are light and very durable. These shade screens are worth the money because of how much they will cut down on your power bill. These solar shields should be installed on the outside, south-facing side of your home to get the most benefit.

Now that ceiling fans come in a wide variety of designs, you can easily find something that you like and that you can use to enhance your home's appearance. Ceiling fans are a popular choice for many home owners because they are economical and will make a difference in keeping your home cool.

Using tabletop fans is another option. One way you can use tabletop fans to help you the most is to place one fan at one end of your house so that it is blowing air into your home, then place a second fan at the opposite end of your house so that it is blowing hot air out. This creates a windstream that will cool down your home promptly. This is a great method to use at night when the outside temperature is cooler.

If your attic traps a lot of warm air, you may want to invest in a whole-house fan. These fans are affixed to your attic's ceiling and pull the outside air, which may be cooler, indoors and through your attic and roof. The warm air from your attic and other areas of your home is forced to exit via roof vents. Whole-house fans cost from $150 to $400.

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