http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-cool-down-and-save.html
17 Tips to Cool Down and Save
Adapted from The Home Energy Diet by Paul Scheckel (New Society Publishers, 2005).
Imagine if, when having gone to sleep on a hot sweaty night with welcomed air conditioning you wake up in the wee hours a bit chilly and turned off the air conditioner instead of pulling on more covers. If everyone did that we’d probably save the world from global warming. Here are more air conditioning tips, 17 of them:
• Avoid indoor heat- and moisture-generating activities.
• Reduce the amount of heat in your home by controlling heat sources such as incandescent lights, dishwashers, dryers, ovens, and solar gain through windows and insufficient insulation.
• Remove unwanted heat and moisture at its source (showers, laundry, cooking, wet basements and crawlspaces) with spot ventilation or drainage.
• Prevent heat and moisture movement from outside to the inside with air sealing and insulation.
• When discomfort is a problem, start with the least energy-intensive solution, such as a fan.
• Using a fan while the AC is operating can allow you to increase the temperature and still feel comfortable.
• Using ceiling fans instead of, or in conjunction with, the AC will increase your comfort at higher thermostat settings by moving air over your skin, creating a wind-chill effect by evaporating sweat and cooling you off.
• Shade sunny windows with landscaping, shades, curtains, or awnings.
• Open windows at night.
• Use natural ventilation instead of AC.
• When using the AC, close all windows and turn off exhaust fans (unless they are removing source heat and/or moisture).
• Upgrade older central AC systems with new, high-efficiency compressors.
• Increase your AC’s lifetime and reduce its operating costs with proper periodic maintenance such as: checking the refrigerant level, condensate drain, controls, and air filters, and cleaning the evaporating and condenser coils. Clean or change filters monthly and clean the cooling coils and fan blades as needed.
• Central air conditioners rely on ductwork. This ductwork needs to be properly sealed, insulated, and balanced to provide maximum efficiency.
• Have the compressor professionally serviced at least every two years.
• Use a programmable set-up thermostat to automatically turn the AC off when you are out of the house, and turn up the temperature at night.
• When you leave the house, turn the AC off!
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add your comment »Ideas for hot flashes: 1. take a spray/spritzer bottle, fill w/ pure water, if you like add a few drops/sprigs of your favorite herb/aroma. I like rosemary, lavender, tea tree oil, citrus, depending on my mood... keep in the fridge or a cool place... spritz yourself, your sheets at bedtime--you will be surprised how well it works! :-)
2. put light cotton clothes, slips, sheets in the freezer. Put them on when you are really heated up-- divine! Inspiration from Marilyn Monroe.
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When you turn your a.c. off and turn it on once you get back home-you create a power surge. You use more energy in those few minutes then if you turned it up to 80. Also, many people can not keep there windows open at night. For one-safety reasons, for two-those that are allergic to pollen etc. will actually get more exposure withthe window open. Using ceiling fans circulates dust so be careful and dust the ceiling fans before you use them. Room wehre ceiling fans are used tend to have more dust in them. Dust frequently. Put on black screens on the windows-this will reduce the amount of heat that comes into your home. Use heavy curtains to block out the sun as well or those that are treated to keep the sun out-"solar curtains".
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This summer we have committed to not use our window air conditioner and leave it in the garage and to using fans. It's working so far.
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IF,you have an ele. hotwater heater/tank type, put it on a cut off circuit; or/box/timer. I learned that you DO: use ele all the time, to maintain ele {pressure/wattage] in the wires from service box to all devices on/off gate [switch] The longer the run & greater the wire,= more use. All these circuts not in use need to be off. My hotwater only takes 5min to heat, so 10-20min befor a bath I flip it on, & off after. I only wash 1 day a week. so my dryer circuit{220} is only turned on for that day & time. Each new appliance is purchased via its energy rating & my budget. I find that using a refigerator larger than i fill is colder & more efficent. I, 66 but if I had children or emotional retard in my house I would get; door ice & water! But if my freezer is near empty I freeze recycled gal containers of water to keep its temp freezing & I am perpaired for a elec. outage or ice to put in camping ice chests. consult your elec. co for their chart of appliances & circuets that draw the most ele. locate these items near the circuit box, & give sufficent watt supply to each. consult an elec. tech. to draw up your house building blue prints, or study it enough so YOU DO NOT MAKE HUGE $$ USE MISTAKES! Personall I've Had to live nearly 20 yrs without elec in my homes. IT IS A LUXURY so use it wisly- PLEASE. ps An efficent dishwasher saves in ele & water & is more sanitary than hand wash & water running rense.
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. . .and now, on to an article about how to deal with hot flashes in the summer no matter how cool the house is. . . .???
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These are great ideas! I already do all of them. But just comparing last years electricity bill with our most recent bill. We have saved $110.00 just by following these things. It really works. Try it!
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