How to Cool Your House Without Air Conditioning

Anyone who lives in a hot climate would love to be able to cool their home without using an air conditioner. While it may not get your house as cool as an AC unit, there are ways to help your house keep it's cool. Here are some tips that may help you put off using the air conditioner and save some money, as well.

You should think twice before opening your windows when it is hot outside. When you open them during hot weather you are letting more hot air into your home. Instead, try keeping the windows closed and the blinds down during the day. This will keep the hot air out. Then, at night when it has cooled off, open the windows and let the cooler air into your house. In the morning when the air is hot again, close the windows and blinds. This may help keep some of the heat out of your house.

When you do open the windows to enjoy the cooler night air, be sure to take advantage of cross ventilation. When one window is opened on the side of your house with the prevailing winds, another should be opened on the opposite side of the house. This will create a cross breeze through your house and help keep the air circulated. If there is no wind or breeze try using fans to move the air.

When you use a fan to keep cool, be sure not to direct it at yourself. This will only surround yourself with more hot air. Set the fan in a window on the sunny side of the house blowing out instead. Then open another window on the opposite, cooler, side of the house. Now you will be drawing the cool air into your house and blowing the hot air out.

Installing a ceiling fan is another way to be able to do without air conditioning. They are not very expensive and simple to install. If there is an overhead light, you will be able to take advantage of the wiring already there. You can install a fan with a light fixture and not loose the lighting. If you are unsure of working with electrical wiring, be sure to call out an electrician to help you. However, do not install a ceiling fan in a room with a low ceiling. The blades should be at least one inch from the ceiling and eight feet from the floor.

When you are cooking during hot weather, it is advisable to always use the fan over your stove. You should do this all the time, even when your cooking is not generating steam or smoke. The stove produces heat when it is on and the exhaust fan will pull that heat out of your house. And, if you have a window open in your house, there will be a cross breeze and the fan will have a larger supply of air to move.

Using an air conditioner during hot weather will run your electric bill higher and higher each month, until the weather cools down. Hopefully, these tips will help you put off turning on your air conditioner and save you money on your bill.