 29. Plant a tree. One well-placed shade
tree can reduce your cooling costs by
25 percent. For maximum benefit,
place leafy shade trees to the south
and west, and evergreens to the north.
30. During late afternoon and early
evening, turn off unnecessary lights
and wait to use heat-producing
appliances. It’s also a good idea to
shade south- and west-facing windows
during the hottest part of the day.
31. Maintain your central air conditioner by cleaning the
outside compressor with a garden hose (be sure to shut off
power at the fuse or breaker first). Keep plantings at least
one foot away for adequate air flow.
32. Use ceiling and box fans to help circulate air throughout
the house, and make sure your attic is properly ventilated. A
ceiling fan should run clockwise during the summer, and
counter-clockwise during the winter.
33. Set the fan on your central air conditioner to “on” rather
than “auto.” This will circulate air continuously, keeping
the temperature more even throughout the house and
aiding in dehumidification.
34. If you use a window air conditioner, make sure it’s the
proper size. It’s better to get one that’s too small than too
large – a larger unit will start up and turn off more
frequently and won’t do as good a job
dehumidifying the air.
35. Don’t judge the efficiency of your air
conditioner by the sound of the fan
shutting on and off. The blower will
continue to circulate cooled air
throughout your home up to 15
minutes after the compressor has
stopped. (The same holds true for the furnace.)
36. Raise the thermostat to about 78 to 80 degrees whenever
you go to bed or leave the house. A programmable
thermostat will do this for you automatically.
37. If your home can’t accommodate central air conditioning,
try a whole-house attic fan. This device pushes hot air out
through attic vents, lowering the temperature throughout
your home about five degrees in less than ten minutes. Attic
fans cost less than 25 cents per day to operate.
38. During the winter, remove window air conditioners and seal
the windows with caulk and weatherstripping. You
might also want to cover the central air compressor
with a tarp to keep it clean.
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