We just spent last weekend at the mercy of the summer heat. The temperature is just around 107F but inside the house especially at the 2nd floor it feels like hell! (not that I have been there for a while!)
So dear people, here are some basic tips on surviving the summer heat and your electric bills.
- Wind/Fan turbines – those are the ones installed in your attic. It helps the circulation of hot air and reduces the attic temperature.
- 78 degrees thermostat setting – Somehow its the magic number for all thermostat setting in the household. Imagine if you have a cathedral ceiling? How long will it take your HVAC to reach the 78 degrees mark? ouch!
- HVAC service checkup – do you need a freon recharge? Are all the wirings intact and critters hasn’t used it for lunch?
- Weatherstripping – get those incense out and walk around your house with a lighted incense to see if your weatherstripping are still functioning. loose ones needs to be replaced. gaps or if you see smoke gets blown at a spot then add more insulations.
- Filter – 30 days rotation people! some filters are being sold with 45-90 days use. Your best bet is just to check it every 30 days and if air doesn’t pass (not passing gas!) then time to replace.
- Ceiling Fans – on some newer fan there’s actually a switch that will change the direction for air flow. If you are like me and don’t know to which direction your ceiling fan is turning then use that lighted incense again to see the direction of the smoke. If the smoke is being pulled up then that’s good. Mean the hot air will be pulled upwards and cold air will be kept down.
- Cooking Outside – You have a grill? Most of the new model have those gas burner on the side. Use that but be aware that soot will build up on your precious pans. Another alternative is an electric skillet. The whole idea is to keep the heat of cooking radiates out of the house. But you can achieve double points if you use the gas burner. Duh!
- Laundry – Do it in the morning. Why? it’s still cooler in the morning and you can turn off your aircon while doing it. Triple points if you do your laundry at your parents house..or better yet-your mother-in-laws house! -kidding!-
if you are not too picky use the laundro-mat. Saves you mucho dinero. - Take cold showers – ay nako. so simple. use soap please?
Well that’s it for now. Hope it helps you a little bit.