7 Ways to Keep Your Home Cool in Summer

Although the first official day of summer is June 21, the summer heat is already setting in—and won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. This summer is on track to bring in record-setting temperatures for much of the United States.

So, what can you do to keep your home cool this summer?

Use these seven tips to maintain a cool and comfortable home all season long, both while at home and away.

1. Program your thermostat.

This may go without saying, but your thermostat is the first line of defense when it comes to maintaining a comfortable home temperature. Smart thermostats such as EcoNet® allow you to program and adjust home temps straight from your smartphone. EcoNet’s geofencing technology also uses your phone’s GPS to know when you aren’t home so that it can adjust accordingly to maximize energy savings.

2. Set your home temperature for summer vacation.

Coming home from vacation is always hard—and coming back to a hot, humid and sticky house doesn’t help. EcoNet’s scheduling feature allows you to set your home temperature while you’re away ahead of time. Plus, you can adjust as needed from wherever you are through the app.

3. Keep your HVAC system clean and working properly.

Change your air filters regularly to ensure that air is circulating throughout your house as it should be. If you’re due for your system’s seasonal maintenance, schedule an appointment with a contractor near you to keep your system working at peak performance and maximum comfort.

4. Keep doors and vents open.

When it comes to air circulation, keeping doors and vents closed is one of the worst things you can do. A closed door or vent will trap air into a room, which can make your HVAC system run longer, work harder and expend more energy. To keep air circulating properly, leave doors and vents open, even if the room is unoccupied.

5. Close your blinds during the day.

Soaking up the sun is all fun and games until it increases your home temperature and makes your HVAC system work harder to keep it cool. Closing the blinds during peak sunlight hours can block unwanted heat from entering your home.

6. Adjust your ceiling fans.

If it feels like your fans are just pushing hot air around, they probably are. Set your ceiling fans to rotate counterclockwise during the summer so that the fan pushes the air straight down to create a cooling effect.

7. Change your lightbulbs.

Changing your lightbulbs might not sound like it has anything to do with keeping your home cool, but incandescent bulbs give off 90% of their energy as heat. Switching to LED lighting will not only help generate less heat but also improve the energy efficiency of your home.

If your HVAC system is in need of a tune up, don’t wait for the summer heat to set in to make an appointment. Find a Rheem Pro Partner™ near you to schedule a maintenance appointment today.