Air Condition
Below is a list of seven easy, more inexpensive ways to cool your hotel summer without
the cost and waste of air conditioning.
- Close your drapes on windows that receive direct sunlight during the day to
reduce indoor heat gain. Depending on fabric weight and color, window treatments
can help to keep your house comfortably cool during the hottest summer days. Drapes
with white plastic lining are the most effective in keeping hot air out. Awnings,
blinds, shades and other window treatments can also be manipulated to reduce heat
gain.
- Open your windows, especially at night, to capture cool evening breezes. During
the day, use natural ventilation to your advantage by opening your lower level windows
on one side of your house, and the upper level windows on the opposing side of the
house. This strategy creates a "thermal chimney." While cool air enters
from the basement, hot air leaves through upstairs windows. If your home has skylights,
keep them open during the day, too, so hot air can escape through the roof.
- Plant more trees! Strategically placed trees can shade your house, keeping cool
air in, and solar heat out. For maximum shading during hot months, plant deciduous
trees, with large sun-blocking branches, along the southern-facing side of your
home. Just a few trees can help cut down on energy use and cost! Vines, shrubs,
and bushes also help in maintaining a cool indoor environment. An air conditioning
unit installed in the shade uses up to 10% less energy than a unit installed in
constant sunlight.
- Install an evaporative "swamp" cooler which uses only water to generate
cool air, rather than a refrigerant. This option is pricier than our other solutions,
but still costs far less than installing central air conditioning. Ideal for low-humidity
areas, evaporative coolers cool outdoor air by blowing the air over wet pads. The
water then quickly evaporates into the air and the cooler blows the fresh, chill
air into your home, and forces warm air to escape through open windows. Swamp coolers
add humidity into the air, so they are only recommended for dry climates. Though
evaporative coolers require more frequent maintenance than traditional AC units,
they use only a quarter of the energy.
- Use ceiling fans as an energy-efficient and effective alternative to air conditioning.
Ceiling fans circulate the air around a room and create a cool draft. If you are
thinking about installing a new ceiling fan, consider buying rated models which
are 20% more efficient than regular models on average.
- Switch your light bulbs. 95% of the energy produced through an incandescent light
bulb is heat; only 5% is actually light energy! Make the switch from incandescent
to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) to save energy, money and help cool your house.
Also be careful not to place lamps, televisions, or other electronic devices near
the thermostat. A thermostat senses room temperature to cool your house, and if
it senses heat radiating from nearby electronics, your air conditioner will use
even more energy to stabilize the air temperature.
- Programme your thermostat. If you must use air conditioning, use a programmable
thermostat to manage when and how long the AC stays on. When your guests are out
for the day or you have free rooms, don't leave the AC on - programme it to
come on just before you do.
