5 Simple and Effective Ways to Reduce AC Reliance in Your Home

Our collective reliance on air conditioning could be considered an addiction. It seems that as soon as air conditioning was invented, nothing else mattered. In the summertime, being able to control the climate was revolutionary. Now, however, this addiction is starting to manifest in the form of destructive global warming trends. This is why it may be time to cut back on the AC. When it comes down to it, there are many ways to reduce your reliance without sacrificing comfort. You don’t need to abandon the AC completely – you just want to find alternative ways to stay cool so you aren’t blasting your air conditioner all summer long. Here are five simple and effective ways to reduce AC reliance in your home.

1. Plant trees around your home. One of the best ways to reduce your reliance is to plant shade-producing trees around your home. Having a few of these trees on the sunniest side of your home will be like having a totally natural AC system. Not only do trees provide shade – they also cool down the air that passes through them.
2. Install a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats can work wonders when it comes to reducing your reliance on the air conditioner. These thermostats can be programmed to turn on according to the time of the day – some even have unique sensors that program the thermostat automatically. Older thermostats simply blast cool air all day long, which is why they are so incredibly wasteful. In fact, one of the smartest tips for summer cooling savings is to install a programmable thermostat.
3. Use ceiling fans. Another way to reduce your reliance is to utilize ceiling fans. Ceiling fans work simply by moving the air around, which can be refreshing on a particularly warm day. You may want to try using ceiling fans as opposed to your air conditioner. It is important to know that you should turn the ceiling fans off when you leave the room because they can otherwise be wasteful. While ceiling fans don’t give off too much energy, you still don’t want them running when you aren’t in the room – it’s the same as turning off lights.
4. Open the windows. Once and a while, you may want to think about opening a few windows. This is especially important at night when the air is cooler. You can actually trap this cool air in by closing the windows the next morning. You may also want to close the blinds because you don’t want the sun to warm up your home. Only when the heat becomes uncomfortable should you turn on your AC.
5. Get out of the house. It also doesn’t hurt to get out of the house once and a while. If it is too hot inside, you may want to head to the beach or a lake or a pool – or even a move theater. Sometimes, the best way to reduce your reliance on the AC is to take a vacation from your AC. In the end, if you aren’t home to use your AC, you can wind up saving a lot of energy and money.