“Be Cool” Staying Cool During the Sweltering Heat Wave

(PRWEB) June 16, 2005

The title of Elmore LeonardÂ’s best-selling novel is a constant reminder that Americans want to be cool whether theyÂ’re under pressure or sweltering when temperatures soar.

As the dog days of summer strike, you can take a few steps to ensure that you, your family and pets will be cool this summer.

According to heating and cooling expert Blaine Fox, a 23-year veteran of the HVACR industry, here are some ways to stay fresh and save energy:

Cooling Tips

Seek Efficiency. Make sure your air conditioner is the proper size for the area you are cooling. The wrong size air conditioner will use more electricity and increase your energy bills. A unit that is too large for a given area will cool the area too quickly, causing the air conditioner to frequently turn itself on and off. If a unit shuts off quickly, chances are it hasnÂ’t been running long enough to reduce the roomÂ’s humidity and youÂ’ll be uncomfortable. If your air conditioner is too small, it will run constantly on hot days without ever getting good results.

Location, location. The location of your air conditioner has a lot to do with how efficient it will be. If you have a choice, locate your units to the north, east or the best-shaded side of your home. If the unit faces direct sunlight, it has to work much harder and use more energy to cool your home. Keep shrubbery away from your air conditioner since it blocks vents and reduces the unitÂ’s ability to exhaust air.

Maintain A Maintenance Schedule. Regular maintenance will ensure that your air conditioner operates efficiently throughout the summer. Check the filter once a month by holding it up to a bright light. If you canÂ’t see through it, itÂ’s time to clean or replace the filter. You can also check your ownerÂ’s guide to find out how to safely clean the condenser coils and fins on the outside of the unit.

When Freshness Hurts. On very hot days, you can save energy by closing the fresh air intake on your unit. Cooling fresh, warm outside air requires more electricity than recooling the air that is already circulating in your home.

Use It When You Need It. You can save on cooling costs by avoiding cooling rooms that no one occupies. If you like your home to be cool when you come home at the end of the day, special automatic timer for air conditioners are available that will turn the unit on before you arrive home.

Attic Advice. On hot summer days, the temperature in your attic can reach 150 degrees. Improving the ventilation in your attic will lower the temperature of the entire house and make your air conditionerÂ’s job a lot easier. Installing an attic fan to exhaust the hot air can greatly improve the comfort of your home.

Size Matters. Depending on the size of your home, You can save as much as 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for 8 hours. you can save 3 percent pm your cooling costs for every degree you raise your thermostat in the summer. Raising the thermostat from 73 to 78 degrees can mean savings of up to 15 percent in cooling costs.

Fantastic Fans. Fans can make your air conditionerÂ’s job easier while saving you money. Pedestal and ceiling fans improve the air circulation in your home, allowing you to raise the air conditionerÂ’s thermostat. In moderate heat, fans can sometimes completely replace air conditioners. Ceiling fans use only about one tenth of the electricity of a typical home air conditioner and therefore cost only one-tenth as much to operate.

Time of Day. To stay most comfortable during the hottest hours of the day, do your cooking, laundry and bathing in the early morning or late evenings. These activities all increase the level of humidity in your home, making it less comfortable and forcing the air conditioner to work even harder. If you use other heat-generating appliances, such as irons, ovens and blow dryers, try to turn them on only in the early morning or late evening – your home will stay cooler.

Window Warnings. Drapes, shades and awnings shield windows from the hot sun, keeping your home cooler. Your storm windows also come in handy during the summer since they keep cool air in and hot air out. Weatherstripping and caulking windows and doorframes will keep cool air from leaking out. You can use certain reflective film on windows to screen out the hot rays of the sun without reducing the amount of light you receive. Shutting doors and windows will help your air conditioner operate more efficiently.

Contact:

Tom Peric

Galileo Communications Inc.

856-984-0049

tsperic@att.net

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