Is heat a serious health concern in your household? The elderly, young children, overweight individuals, and those with heart or neurological conditions can be particularly vulnerable to heat. If you or someone in your family falls into any of these categories, adequate home cooling isn’t simply a question of comfort but can be a matter of life or death. Certain medications can also affect the body’s ability to deal with heat. To learn more, read Drugs that intensify sun and heat.
Consider your home and environs. Your home’s cooling needs depend on where you live, the size and design of your home, and even your landscaping. Here are some questions to consider in determining how much air conditioning you really need:
• Do you have ceiling fans? A ceiling fan can make a room feel 6 or 7 degrees cooler. For instance, on an 82-degree day, you can turn on the fan instead of the A/C and still be comfortable. On hotter days, you could set the air conditioner to 82 degrees and let the fan do the rest. During the heat of the day, a fan’s top speed may be best. In the evening, the lowest speed may be enough. Read Ceiling fans help cut cooling costs.
• Do you have a problem with mold? If you do, it is important to keep the indoor humidity below 50 percent. An air conditioner (or dehumidifier) can help.
• Can you add drapes or awnings? Simply closing the drapes or drawing the blinds during the day can help keep your home cool. Same for an awning that you can roll out during the sunniest part of the day.
• Are you thinking about replacing your windows? It could take years to recoup the cost of new windows through lower energy bills, but if you’re considering replacing some or all of them anyway, don’t just think about blocking the winter chill. Today’s windows can also help keep your home cooler. Modern replacement windows have two panes of glass, separated with air or another gas for insulation, and are sometimes specially coated; the coating can be fine-tuned for different climates.
• Is your home properly insulated? Insulation is critical to helping your home stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. And don’t stop inside the house. Strategically placed trees, high shrubs or hedges can go a long way toward keeping your home cooler. For more ideas specifically tailored to your home, ask your local utility company if it offers free energy audits. There’s also a do-it-yourself tool for home energy audits offered by the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.
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