As any homeowner in a hotter part of the country can attest, cooling a residence around the clock can be a costly exercise. This is particularly true in the case of areas that receive swelteringly hot weather all year long. Still, while home cooling costs can be a beast to contend with, they’re by no means insurmountable. It’s entirely possible to cool a residence year-round without bleeding your finances dry – provided, of course, you accumulate enough knowledge on the subject. 

 

For well over 20 years, we’ve been encouraged to move away from traditional incandescent light bulbs. In addition to consuming a great deal more power than energy-efficient CFL and LED bulbs, incandescents burn hotter and give off a lot more heat. Needless to say, traditional bulbs won’t do you any favors on the home cooling front. With this mind, make a point of moving away from traditional light bulbs and transitioning to the aforementioned energy-efficient options. Not only will this help reduce your utility costs, it can also serve as a boon to your cooling efforts. 

If you’ve spent the majority of your life using incandescent bulbs, you may be hesitant to swear them off. After all, breaking free of learned behaviors can be tremendously challenging. Still, once you rip off the bandage and commit to using energy-efficient bulbs, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do so sooner. While it’s true that CFLs and LEDs cost a little more than incandescents, they have significantly longer lifespans and consume far less power. In other words, a short-term financial setback stands to save you a bundle in the long run.  

Although we should all take steps to minimize A/C use, there are times when air conditioning is absolutely necessary. For example, if your locale is trapped in the grip of a relentless heatwave, a dependable air conditioning system can do you a world of good. Additionally, the more efficiently your system is able to run, the less power it’s likely to consume. In order to keep your air conditioning running at peak efficiency, you’ll need to stay on top of maintenance. 

For starters, this means committing to annual service visits. Having your system thoroughly inspected and meticulously serviced by seasoned technicians at least once a year can keep it top form for years to come. While service visits will cost you a little bit of money, the amount they stand to save you on large-scale repairs is well worth the small amount you wind up spending. 

You’ll also need to call in knowledgeable techs whenever you come across an issue with your A/C, regardless of whether the system has already undergone its annual service visit. Letting small issues linger is likely to result in them becoming far more pressing – and expensive – problems. This is yet another instance in which spending a little can save you a lot.     

Ceiling fans are essential cooling aids that should be found in every residence. So, if your home is currently bereft of ceiling fans or your existing fans have seen better days, there’s no time like the present to get on top of this. High-quality ceiling fans can efficiently circulate cool air throughout your home, thereby taking some of the burden off your air conditioning system. Furthermore, dependable fans are affordable on virtually any budget, so cost needn’t be a concern for most households. Additionally, if you’re in the market for new light fixtures, look into purchasing ceiling fans with lights. 

 

Most homeowners will tell you that effectively cooling a home can be an arduously expensive undertaking. While this is true in many instances, it’s generally only the case for households that run their air conditioning systems 24/7. To be fair, air conditioning is a modern-day necessity – particularly in parts of the country that receive brutally hot weather. However, A/C shouldn’t be the only tool utilized for your home cooling efforts. Additionally, even if you run your air conditioning system around the clock, there’s a good chance you aren’t using it to its fullest potential. If efficient, cost-effective home cooling is what you seek, take the previously discussed pointers to heart.