This post was sponsored by PPL Electric Utilities as part of their Project Envolve Ambassador program. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Did you know that the average U.S. household spends $875 or more a year on heating and cooling*? I KNOW that I spend more than that each year because, let’s be honest, living in a 100 year old house has it’s advantages and it’s disadvantages and most older homes are not energy efficient, offering low heating and cooling costs.
Our house has lots of charm but one thing it doesn’t have is air conditioning and I know from personal experience that hot summers without AC aren’t fun, but after living here for years there are some easy ways that we cool off all summer long.
Easy Ways to Keep Your House Cool without Air Conditioning
Create airflow throughout your home. This can be as simple as opening windows to create a cross breeze and keep your house cooler. I like to use my ceiling fans and a window fan to create cross breezes, especially in our bedrooms, to create a cooling effect as well as having some well placed fans in our main living areas.
On hot days, avoid using the oven by using small appliances such as Instantpots, slow cookers or my personal summer favorite–grill outside. Some of our favorite family meals are meals that are so simple to make, are grilled outside and are easy cleanup. We also like to eat foods that are naturally cool and refreshing with high water content.
- Grilled Nachos
- Garlic Steak Pinwheels
- Strawberry Smoothies
- Tomato and Cucumber Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Check out the Project Envolve website for more inspiration!
Install efficient lighting that runs cooler. Only about 10% to 15% of the electricity that incandescent lights consume results in light—the rest is turned into heat. Switching to energy-efficient lighting is one of the fastest ways to cut your energy bills. By replacing your home’s five most frequently used light fixtures or bulbs with models that have earned the ENERGY STAR, you can save $75 each year*(source). Better yet, switch over to solar lights for outdoor illumination and save money all year long.
Adding some lights with motion sensors are always a great way to save money while keeping your house safe. Because they turn on only when motion is detected you are saving money because they are only turning on when truly needed so you aren’t wasting any electricity, because be honest…how many times have you turned on the outside lights, forgot to turn them off and then left them on all night long?
Get outside! Create outdoor living spaces–on hot summer nights I love to sit outside and relax and watch the kids play in the yard. Comfy chairs, soft lighting and the sweet sounds of summer–can it get any better? Add in some fun outdoor games like this one or check out these ideas from the Project Envolve website and you have the perfect summer evening.
Use blackout curtains to keep sunlight out of the house during the hottest parts of the day. Studies demonstrate that medium-colored draperies with white-plastic backings can reduce heat gains by 33%. Draperies also stay cooler in the summer than some other window treatments because their pleats and folds lose heat through convection(source).
Need even more ways to save during the summer months? PPL Electric Utilities offers tools, tips and energy efficient programs to help customers. Visit pplectric.com/savings for more information.
*Source: Energy.gov
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