Green living doesn’t mean suffering in the heat. You can go green, use less air conditioning and save money, all while staying comfortable. Below are eight simple yet effective tips on how to go green using less air conditioning while staying cool.
- Green Living with Thermostats
As part of a BGE pilot program, we set our thermostat to 80F at 2PM and back to 72F at 7PM on especially hot days. Our house stayed under 75F yet we reduced our electricity usage 72% during the hottest hours of the season1. You can reduce air conditioning use with manual thermostats, but it’s easier with programmable ones.
- Green Living with Ceiling and Tower Fans
Fans reduce the need for air conditioning using your body’s natural cooling system. Breezes cause sweat to evaporate more quickly, cooling your body with less air conditioning. Ceiling fans save up to 40% on air conditioning costs2. In rooms with no ceiling fans, use a tower fan.
- Green Living with Windows
Even on hot days, the outdoors cools down faster than your home. Keep windows closed daytime when outdoor temperatures are high, opening them once temperatures drop below 70F. Opening windows on opposite sides of your house may even get a nice breeze going.
Nature lovers are not quite fond of canned air within the confines of their house and therefore prefer fresh air from the atmosphere as it is good for health but all the same it is better to get your
AC checked by air conditioning repair San Diego as it is required during nights.
- Green Living with Shades
Keep your shades closed during the day, especially if the sun hits those windows. At night, open the shades to let more heat radiate out, cooling your home.
- Green Living (Literally) with Trees
Planting trees near the southern side of your house (northern if you’re Down Under) will shade your house, reducing the heat beating down on it. Trees also take in carbon from the air, adding another green living benefit to the environment.
- Green Living with Fewer Unneeded Lights
Put your hand near a lit light bulb (don’t touch!) and you’ll feel the heat. Turn off unneeded lights and electronics and you’ll reduce the heat dissipated in your home. This lets you go green both directly through reduced lighting power, and indirectly through reduced air conditioning.
- Green Living with Attic and Whole-House Fans
The hottest space in your house is the attic, or directly under the ceiling of the upper level. Attic fans or whole-house fans can be pricey, but they’re very effective at cooling down those hot spots, making the rest of your home more comfortable.
- Green Living with Attic Insulation
If your attic is not sufficiently insulated, adding insulation will keep your home comfortable with less air conditioning.
Bottom Line of Green Living with Less Air Conditioning
The above are eight mostly inexpensive and simple, yet powerful tips on how to go green, using less air conditioning. Each will save you money and help the environment without breaking a sweat, as part of a green living strategy.
- Use Your Thermostat to Save Big on Your Electric Bill This Summer
- Super Cheap Electricity Blog