I live in Fresno where it’s over 100 degrees this week – my tips are essential for keeping cool & saving on energy bills
SUMMER is well and truly here and if you’re looking for ways to keep cool, these tips may be for you.
A Fresno resident shared the hacks she uses to tackle the extreme heat while saving on her energy bills.
Commenting on a Reddit post, user Jenniferlorene3 revealed how she keeps her home cool and comfortable in record-high temperatures.
For her first DIY cooling tip, she recommended increasing the airflow throughout your space.
“Open up all your windows with all ceiling fans on late at night and early in the morning, when it’s cooler outside than inside,” Jennifer advised.
“If you have a bedroom door closed, the cool air just stays in that room and the air conditioner will work harder to get to the other rooms.”
She also emphasized the importance of airflow direction in the home.
“Make sure your fans are blowing in the right direction for the air conditioner to push warm air down, which should be counterclockwise,” Jennifer said.
She explained that most ceiling fans have a latch to change the spinning direction.
“Make it clockwise for winter, updraft, and counterclockwise for summer, down draft,” she said.
Jennifer also recommended regularly changing the filter in your air conditioning unit.
“They are pretty cheap and you can buy them in bundles at Walmart, Home Depot, or Lowe’s,” she said.
Jennifer also shared the simple move she uses during the hottest part of the day.
“During sunnier, hotter parts of the day, pull your blinds, shades, or curtains so direct sunlight isn’t coming into the house,” she said.
She pointed out that this can help “even if you have dual pane windows.”
Jennifer revealed the ideal temperature to set your air conditioner at to save money while remaining comfortable.
“It’s always good to run your air conditioner only at 80F and not lower to save money and not put too much strain on electricity for the whole community,” she said.
Fresno weather forecast
- Friday, 28 June: 100F
- Saturday, 29 June: 103F
- Sunday, 30 June: 101F
- Monday, 1 July: 102F
- Tuesday, 2 July: 108F
- Wednesday, 3 July: 110F
- Thursday, 4 July: 109F
Source: Accuweather
While she acknowledged that 80F may seem warm she explained that your body will “eventually acclimate.”
“I usually start with 76F then go to 78F for a few days and then to 80F,” Jennifer explained.
She also suggested cleaning out all vents in your home to ensure “air can blow out effectively.”
“This includes the vent on the back of your refrigerator, if the filter is full of dust your fridge has to work a lot harder to cool,” she said.
Jennifer also recommended unplugging power strips and phone chargers when they are not in use to allow for more energy to be spent on your air conditioning unit.