Tips for Cooling Your Home

We often keep our air conditioning (AC) units working overtime in the summer to help us stay cool. The extra use often leads to expensive cooling bills and unnecessary stress during your relaxing summers. 

To avoid the Hilton Head heat and take the pressure off your AC system, check out these tips for keeping your home cool all summer long. 

How to Keep Your Hilton Head House Cool

If you're running your AC all day and your home is still too warm, you can take some steps to help lower the indoor temperature. Use these tricks to help keep your home comfortable all summer. 

Seal Leaks

Cool air wants to escape to warmer outside temperatures, so sealing your house can help with cooling your Hilton Head home. If cool air can't escape your home, the AC system won't have to keep working to push more cool air into the house, saving you money. 

Gaps and openings allow heat in and let cold escape. Do your best to prevent this by sealing any leaks: 

• Put good weatherstripping on doors and windows to seal them.
• Check your caulk and weatherstripping and repair them if necessary.
• The fewer gaps in your home, the more air stays trapped inside. 

Block the Sun

Too much sunlight can be a major part of why your home isn't staying cool. During the day, the sun beams in through your windows, bringing light and heat inside and making your HVAC system work harder than it needs to. 

Blocking the sun keeps the heat out and creates a cooler indoor environment. Try these methods for keeping your home shaded and cool: 

• Curtains and shades: Use thick curtains or thermal shades to cover your windows. They will block the sun and help stop cold air from escaping. 
• Awnings: Hanging awnings over doors and windows, especially south and west-facing ones, help stop the sun from warming the house. 
• Window film: Consider adding heat-reducing film to your windows for extra insulation. Window film is excellent for blocking UV rays and heat, creating a cool home environment. It also keeps warmth in during winter, so you stay cozy throughout the year. 

Create Air Flow 

Cooling your home in summer is about how your home feels inside. Airflow creates movement, which helps us feel cooler. You can set your AC a little higher if you have good airflow in your house. 

Ceiling fans, oscillating fans and open doors keep the air moving, making the house feel colder. Trapped air feels stuffy and suffocating — letting air move will create a cooler environment. Open inside doors during the summer so air can flow throughout the house and use fans to keep the air circulating.

4 Most Cost-Effective Ways to Cool a House

Keeping your house cool in extreme heat with your AC can drive up your energy costs. Instead, balance using your AC with these cost-effective tips to stay comfortable without hurting your wallet. 

1. Adjust Your Thermostat

Using your thermostat all day will increase your energy bill. You can save money by adjusting the temperature at night or when you're gone instead of keeping your house at the same temperature all day. 

You can save 10% on heating and cooling a year by turning your thermostat up 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours a day. Set the temperature higher when you're at work so that your AC isn't working as hard to cool an empty house. Consider turning off your AC at night when it's cooler to save even more. 

2. Keep Cool Without AC

You can stay cool at home without always having your AC set at 68 degrees:

• Use fans: Turn your AC up by a few degrees while you're at home and use fans to create cool breezes in the rooms you're sitting in. Fans use less electricity than running the AC all day. 
• Block heat from windows: Cover your windows to block heat from coming inside and keep your house cool and comfortable. 
• Open the house at night: Open windows and doors instead of using the AC when the temperature drops at night. Night breezes can travel through your house and cool everything down. Letting colder evening air flow inside will give your AC unit a break and help cut your energy costs for the summer. 
• Use a dehumidifier: A dehumidifier can help your house feel cooler without lowering the AC. Taking steps to control home humidity will save you energy costs and protect your home and systems from excessive moisture. High humidity can also affect your HVAC unit, making it work harder and increasing how warm your home feels. Using a dehumidifier helps draw the moisture from the air and keep your house comfortable. 

3. Use Energy-Efficient Units

Increase your home energy efficiency to maximize your savings and HVAC ability for better returns and comfort. If you can, install more energy-efficient systems. Energy-efficient units might cost you some money up-front, but they can save you lots of money in the long term. Consider installing at least one of the following:

• Energy Star products: Energy Star products help you cool your home while being cost-effective and may let you earn a tax credit. 
• Mini-split systems: A mini-split system has one or more small units that let you control the temperature of individual rooms. You can choose which rooms of your house to cool, and you avoid the energy losses that come with air ducts. 
• Programmable thermostats: Programmable thermostats are excellent for reducing cooling and heating costs. You can create your schedule to automatically set the temperature higher when you aren't home. Programmable thermostats also let you set a schedule for specific days to heat and cool your home exactly when you need to. 

4. Maintain Your AC System

Routine maintenance saves you money by catching issues before they become more expensive. AC system maintenance is important for keeping your unit running as long and efficiently as possible. Always get your HVAC system checked before summer to ensure it's working correctly — you don't want to have your AC fail during the year's hottest days. Getting seasonal AC maintenance will extend the life of your system and ensure the unit works as efficiently and affordably for as long as you need it. 

How to Stay Cool Without Electricity or AC

If your HVAC stops working unexpectedly during the summer, contact an HVAC contractor immediately for repairs. Technicians will work to get you up and running to enjoy your AC once again. In the meantime, you'll need some ways to avoid the heat until you can get your system working again. Here are some tips on how to cool your house without electricity:

• Block windows. 
• Place a damp cloth on your neck.
• Cook outdoors.
• Keep doors and windows closed during the day.
• Open windows and doors at night.

Use the strategies above to beat the summer heat when your AC system stops working. In the meantime, stay safe. Drink lots of water and avoid staying in the heat. Take a trip to a pool or somewhere cool and shaded to remain comfortable during system outages. 

Trust E.A.C. Heating & Air for Cooling Homes in Hilton Head

You rely on your HVAC system to keep you cool throughout the hot South Carolina summers. At E.A.C. Heating & Air, we are devoted to bringing our customers high-quality services and superior products. Trust our NATE-certified contractors to install, maintain and repair your HVAC system quickly and affordably, giving you a comfortable home and peace of mind. If you have any questions or want to schedule a service, contact us today!