Week 13 - IT'S GETTING HOT IN HERE!

It’s now officially summer, and we have already had several samplings of hot, humid, and sticky weather. I can’t believe as a kid I loved it! I have reluctantly turned on the a/c because I can’t stand humidity - it makes me miserable. So my mood trumps my frugality and I close all the windows sealing us in and flip the switch. This is no small feat since the one thing I hate almost as much as I hate humidity, is being sealed in our house. You see, I love fresh air!

So what’s the scoop on air conditioning and the environment? The Rocky Mountain Institute estimates “in peak summer months, about 50 percent of all electricity used in the United States is devoted to powering air conditioners“.

Cost isn't the only bad news. The amount of pollution created when power companies have to generate so much electricity is staggering. The goods news is, “ozone-depleting CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) - formerly used as a cooling agent in a/c units - are no longer used and have been replaced by HCFCs (hydro chlorofluorocarbons), which deplete 95 percent less ozone than their older counterparts. Energy efficiency has also improved dramatically.

We all want to be comfortable, but we can be mindful too. There are a slew of things we can do to reduce our a/c usage (energy) and in turn reduce pollution and save some cash.

1. If your current a/c is more than eight years old, consider replacing it. Over the life of the product, the amount you'll save in energy bills will likely pay for the cost of the unit.
2. Make sure you get the right size model for your needs. If your air conditioner is too small for an area, it will have to run continuously. If it's too large, it will constantly turn off and on, increasing energy consumption.
3. Have your a/c serviced. The service person can clean your coils and drainage system, change your filters and ward off any potential problems. It’s not expensive and you waste less energy and money when your unit runs efficiently.
4. Install a programmable thermostat and set it just one degree higher than you normally would.
5. Keep your shades drawn.
6. Install ceiling fans to circulate air. Fans don’t cool air, but they move air causing it to feel a cooler.
7. At night, use you’re a/c's fan-only mode.
8. Use the re-circulate option instead of constantly cooling hot air from outdoors.
9. Turn the a/c off when you're out and close the vents in unused rooms.
10. For a room a/c - clean the filter often and make sure window models are installed as tightly as possible to prevent hot air from seeping in around the unit's edges.

If you don’t have a/c, there are still things you can do to stay cool.

1. Keep your shades drawn.
2. Close your windows once the outside temperature reaches 78 degrees.
3. Buy window fans.
4. Install a whole-house fan in your attic - it consumes one-tenth as much power as an a/c (years ago we had one of these in a house we rented and it worked well).
5. Open your windows at night.
6. Plant shade trees or trellised vines on the western and eastern sides of your home to reduce heat absorption.
7. Install awnings or roof overhangs.
8. Add light-colored or reflective roof and wall materials.
9. Choose energy-efficient indoor lighting and appliances to reduce the amount of waste heat produced by these devices. For example, stand near your computer and you can feel how much heat it throws off. Does it need to be on all day?

Keep these ideas in mind and you will help the environment, control your energy bill and have a much more comfortable summer ahead!