Does Your House Have Mold?
March 25, 2019What Makes You A Mosquito Magnet?
May 20, 2019Keeping Your Cool During the Summer
It seems like we have just gone from buckets of rain coming down to heat that we would normally get during the summer in Sonoma County. It’s a great time to get some low cost solutions in place to help you keep you your cool this summer without breaking the bank. Below we give you some easy to do tasks that should help keep you cool and be kind to your utility bill at the same time.
Humidify Your Home
Even in Sonoma County we can get days that seem to dry you out and leave you feeling tired. Purchasing a humidifier with oil diffuser can really be a game changer on a hot day. Not only does it add a little moisture to the air, which is kind to your skin, but it also releases scent into the air that can refresh your home. Keep in mind when humidity gets below 45% in our home that it gives viruses and bugs a better place to thrive.
Do Your Wash at Night
Using your washing machine and dryer at night is not only kind to your utility bill, but you won’t be heating up your house during the day. Also using a clothesline in the summer months has your clothes smelling fresh while saving energy and keeps your home cooler.
Reduce & Reflect Sunlight Into Your Home
Direct sunlight coming into your home heats your home quicker than anything, great in the winter, but not so good in the summer. Installing inside blinds, curtains. or reflective film on your windows will not only help cool your home but will help educe your utility bills. Skylights are wonderful for letting light into our homes, but covering them from the outside before the sun even enters your home really help reduce the heat in your home in the summer. There are both inside shades for skylights and outside covers for skylights, both do the task well.
Move Your Cooking Outside
Cooking and especially baking on a hot summer day is deadly to the temperature of your home. Cooking and baking heat up at home so quickly. Think of moving your cooking outside in the hot days of summer to a barbecue, grill or grill with burner. There are so many great summer recipes that are cool such as salads, cold casseroles, wraps and more. Have you ever tried barbecue pizza? If you do need to cook make sure you are doing late at night or first thing in the morning so it has the least impact to your home temperature.
Cross Ventilate Your Home or Room
Opening windows on the opposite sides of a home, hallway, or room will move air through your room or home with more ease and have an overall cooling effect. Cross-ventilation helps reduce the temperature of your home easily. It’s best to open your windows during the cooler times of the day, early morning or late evening to maximize the effect.
Set Your Ceiling Fans on Counter-Clockwise
During the winter you want to move hot air down in a room, but in the summer setting your ceiling fans to turn counter-clockwise helps move warmth out of a room. The ceiling fan moves air and also makes the room cooler. The method of reversing the blade rotation will push the warmth to the ceiling instead of down into the room.
Know How To Point Box Fans For Maximum Effect
When it hots during the middle of the day, point your box fans towards the outside of your home.
During the evening reverse the process to let the cool evening air circulate through your home by pointing your box fans towards the inside of your home to cool it with the night breezes.
Let the Night Air In
Opening your windows at night and letting the breeze blow through your windows allows your house to cool down and refresh itself and will help to promote better sleep. Make the most of nighttime air by opening the windows before going to bed. For security reasons you can open windows only on your second story, but if you live in a safer place it great to air out your whole house at night. Listening to night sounds is soothing if you live in a more suburban or country setting, let the frogs and crickets lull you to sleep.
Plant Trees & Scrubs Strategically
This is more of a long term plan, but it will add beauty and value to your property while giving much needed shade to the side of your house that gets the most sun. It’s a natural way to provide shade for your house and a beautiful place to sit on a hot summer day.
Close Doors & Only Cool Occupied Rooms
If you tend to have warm weather where you live, if you don’t have central air conditioning you probably have at least a few air conditioning units attached to your house.
By closing doors to rooms that are not in use and only cooling occupied rooms, you will cut your utility bill. By closing the doors you are able to keep the cool air to a confined space.
Think Light & Airy Clothing
Summer is the time when it’s hot to think light and airy clothing. Clothing that moves with you and the air. Clothing that isn’t tight nor gets stuck to you easily.
Natural fibers breathe more than synthetics. Think cotton and bamboo! Think light colors or white to reflect the sun instead of absorbing it!
Take it a little easy this summer and let Crystal Clear Home do your house cleaning. A clean home is much more relaxing and why not spend your time doing what you love to do best! Give us a call at 707-327-3316 or fill out our contact page form and we will give you a call and a free quote for cleaning your home.