How To Keep Your Home Cool in Summer Without Air Conditioning

With summer starting, many homeowners are thinking about ways to keep their homes cool during the hottest months of the year, without having to use air conditioning all day long. It’s not just that running the air conditioning is going to push up the utility bill significantly, the home’s carbon footprint with take a huge jump. There are times when using the AC is the only way to keep the house cool, but there are hacks that you can use to bring down internal temperatures so that the amount of AC used is cut down a great deal.

  • Keep the blinds closed during the day. Keeping the sun out will also keep a lot of the heat out of the house.
  • Consider investing in block-out curtains to really shield the interiors from the harsh summer heat.
  • Talking of blocking the heat, awnings and large potted plants in front of windows are effective heat blockers.
  • Planting deciduous trees in the yard will give you shade in the summer but will allow the sun to shine through in the winter.
  • Close the doors to rooms that are not in use. This will keep the cooler air in the places where it is needed most.
  • Check for gaps around doors and windows, which are where cool air escapes from the interior and where warm air enters. Block any gaps you may find.
  • Large appliances give off a serious amount of heat that can warm up the interiors. When possible, use the range, oven, dishwasher and clothes dryer at night when the temperature is lower and the additional generated heat will have a lower impact.
  • Why not fire up the grill and do some of your cooking outdoors? The more you cook outside, the less heat is generated indoors.
  • How you dress affects how you feel the heat. Dressing only in light cotton fabric and loose-fitting clothes will keep you cool.
  • Have you thought about fans? These blow warm, stale air out of the home. This expelled air is replaced by fresh cooler air that is drawn in from outside.

Also Read: Smarter Cooling, Smaller Bills: Your Summer Energy Game Plan

  • A whole house fan will blow all the warm air out of the house and replace it with cooler fresh air drawn in through windows. Even if this does not make the interiors quite as cool as you want, the lower indoor temperatures will reduce the air conditioning load and by doing so reduce the wear on the unit and the amount of power it will consume.
  • Warm air rises and, in the house, which means that a lot of the summer heat collects up in the attic. This may seem to be a good idea, but the heat that stays in the attic will start to radiate down to the rest of the house when the indoor temperatures of the lower levels start to drop in the evenings. This means the home is not as cool as it could be. An attic fan will blow the hot air out of the attic. If a solar powered fan is installed, it will cool the attic without having any impact on the utility bills.
  • The garage is no longer just a space to park the car. It is a place for the extra freezer and fridge to be kept, for all kinds of things that do not belong elsewhere to be stored and even for the family to hang out. A dedicated garage fan will blow the warm air out, keeping the garage cool and comfortable.

When it comes to ventilating and keeping a home cool, Solatube is the ultimate resource. The company is the world leader in the production of whole house, attic and garage fans, all of which consume either little or even no electricity and which reduce the indoor heat load. The company is known for its impeccable attention to quality in all it produces, and the wide range of models available (so there is the right type of fan for every home). Some fan options even come with a big federal tax credit, which makes the already attractive price even more appealing. In the Bay Area, Sunlight Concepts is the Premier Solatube Dealer. Contact them and ask for a free consultation where all your questions will be answered and you will receive all the information you need to make an informed purchase decision that will keep your home cool, healthy and comfortable during the summer with little or even no use of the air conditioning.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I keep my house cool without using air conditioning?

Close blinds, use block-out curtains, ventilate with fans, and reduce indoor heat sources like ovens.

2. Do attic fans really help cool the house?

Yes, attic fans remove hot air trapped above, preventing heat from radiating into living areas.

3. What is a whole house fan and how does it work?

It draws out warm air from inside and pulls in cooler outdoor air through windows, improving ventilation.

4. Are solar-powered fans effective for cooling?

Absolutely. Solar fans run without adding to your energy bills while efficiently cooling attics and garages.

5. Where can I get Solatube cooling solutions in the Bay Area?

Contact Sunlight Concepts, the Premier Solatube Dealer, for expert guidance and free consultations