5 Ways Marylanders Can Cool Their Homes On A Budget This Summer
5 Ways Marylanders Can Cool Their Homes On A Budget This Summer
In the middle of an inflationary period, cooling a home can be awfully expensive, especially during the summertime, and especially for Marylanders, for whom the summertime can get extremely hot and humid, especially during the July and August months. But properly and comfortably cooing one’s home is probably the most important vector in home improvement, because even if your home looks more amazing than any other house on the block, if it’s hotter than blazes in your house during the summertime, you will still be miserable. We covered in our last blog how to get your home ready for the summertime during the spring season, so assuming you’ve followed our directions and you’re finished prepping your home for summer, we’ll now tell you how to effectively and inexpensively cool off… on almost any budget!
1. The Secret Fan Method the A/C Companies Don't Want You To Know About
The way air conditioning works is by sucking the hot air out of your home, cooling it through an evaporator in the system, and then blowing the newly-cooled air back into your home. But the central air companies don’t want you to know that there’s a simple way you can closely-replicate this process by using fans in your home, which obviously uses significantly less energy, and in turn lowering your electric bill. This trick works best at night time. You’ll first want to purchase two fans for each room in your house that you want to cool. When the sun starts to go down, and the weather outside simmers a bit, open two windows and place one fan on one of your window sill facing inwards. Place the other fan on a different window sill (preferably on the opposite side of the room) facing outwards. One fan will suck the cooler, evening air in from the outside and blow it into your room, and the fan facing out will suck the warmer, more humid air in your room and blow it outside. This process effectively replicates the air conditioning process without running a large, expensive central air system. True Value has a variety of fans you can use for this, which we can help you order at a moment’s notice, but we also sell a twin fan specifically designed to fit in one window, with a reversible setting, that makes this entire process doable with just one piece of equipment. Best of all: it retails for only $59!
2. Using Energy-Efficient Window Units Instead Of Central Air
Using window units instead of your central air system is another very clever way to dramatically lower your energy bill this summer, while keeping your home comfortably cool. These systems are extremely easy to install - any DIYer can install a window unit in every room in a home in just one afternoon - and then set them and forget them. Your home will stay as frigid as you’d like all summer long. We at Kefauver Lumber True Value have a huge selection of air conditioners we can order for you, but we personally recommend the ultra-quiet smart window unit from Midea, which is 35% more energy-efficient on average! Good window A/C units like the ones we sell at True Value will last you for years to come, so they’re well-worth the investment!
3. Adhese Heat-Film To The Glass In Your Windows
Another clever trick to dramatically reduce your energy bill this summer while keeping your home comfortably cool is to use adhesive heat film (also known as solar film) on your home’s windows. Experts say that this special adhesive film can reduce up to 78% of the heat from the sun in your home. Experts also say that 30% of the total heat in your home in the summertime comes directly from sunlight, so using this special film alone can dramatically reduce your home’s energy bill, even without ditching your beloved central air system! Take caution when installing these - an incorrect installation won’t look very good, and can sometimes damage your windows. That said, most DIYers will be able to install the film easily, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, there are plenty of companies that will install them for you, and the lifetime savings will be worth the initial investment.
4. Install A Whole-House Fan In Your Home
Depending on the layout of your home, one of the best ways to lower your energy bill while keeping your house cool this summer is to install a “whole house fan.” Some DIYers will be able to install these, but it will require some cutting, sawing, and potentially even running a small duct through the walls, depending on the way your house was built. That said, installing a whole house fan can be one of the best ways of lowering your summertime energy bill, because these fans are powerful and very effective. And most of the time, money can be saved during the installation of these fans by running the exhaust into the attic, and simply placing the end of the duct next to an attic ventilation fan. Your attic will still stay cool if done properly. We can order the fans for you here at Kefauver Lumber True Value, and we carry them in 24, 30, and 36 inch sizes. From there, it’s just a matter of purchasing a matching-sized duct that’s long enough to run into your attic, and making the necessary cuts in your ceiling to run the duct. This is another task that not all homeowners will feel comfortable doing themselves, but fortunately there are plenty of companies that are very experienced in whole house fan installations, and the investment will pay for itself in energy bill savings overtime.
5. Go Completely Ductless With A Mini-Split System
This will be the most effective way of permanently lowering your energy bill during the summertime while still enjoying all the cooling benefits of “air conditioning.” Even though mini-splits are not actually air conditioning systems, the temperature of your house will match or outmatch that of a central air system, and so will the quality of the cool air. These systems have been around for a long time, but have caught on more in Europe than in the United States. Still there are plenty of companies in Maryland that can quickly and inexpensively install one of these ductless systems into your home. You’d be surprised at how inexpensive and affordable a mini-split installation is, especially if you’re already familiar with the cost of installing a traditional HVAC system. There are some very clever DIYers out there who will be able to properly install a mini-split system themselves, but for most of you reading this blog, you’ll probably need to hire a licensed HVAC technician to install one for you. That said, because mini-split systems are finally popularizing in the United States, almost all good HVAC techs will be able to complete this job quickly and inexpensively. When examining initial costs, lifetime savings, and air quality & temperature altogether, there’s no modern cooling (or heating for that matter) technique or system that will outmatch a ductless mini-split system.
And there you have it - our five techniques that will dramatically lower your energy bill while keeping your home comfortably cool this summer! Remember, these are not one-size-fits-all solutions. Some of these solutions will be more effective and practical for some homeowners than others. It’s best to review and research all 5 of our options here and choose the one(s) that will best fulfill your needs. Cost will also play a major role in your decision here, especially if you’re not a skilled DIYer. For those of you that are skilled DIYers though, your options will be more open. If you need help, come visit us at Kefauver Lumber True Value! We’ll help you get all your materials ordered, and be able to make recommendations. Good luck, and enjoy your summer!
