Beat The Heat With These Tricks
Temperatures are soaring right now, with weather outlooks predicting above average normals for August and October. That means your air conditioner could be running almost nonstop! So how do you beat the heat without driving your Ohio Edison electric bill through the roof? Check out these tips to help keep you cool!
Let’s Talk About The Fiery Monster In Your Attic
If your cooling costs are going through the roof, it could be your attic’s fault. Properly insulating your attic space can help keep your home cooler by providing a thermal barrier between your living space and the giant heat shield that is your roof. It’s time to brush up on those Laws of Thermodynamics! We’ve heard that heated air rises. But heat energy also moves towards cold until there isn’t a temperature difference. This effect is called thermal equilibrium. So, the heat from your attic moves downwards into your cooler living space. Consequently, if you don’t have a thermal barrier, all that heat in your attic will just make the rest of your home hotter. The bonus to adding insulation: it works both ways. During the winter when it gets cold outside, your heat stays inside. So, you can save on heating costs as well.
Shutting Off Rooms And Your Ohio Edison Bill
You’d think that shutting off rooms that you don’t use during a boiling day makes sense, but it couldn’t be farther from the best idea to do. If you have a central HVAC system, closing vents will not only cost you more in the long run, but it could also be causing damage to your HVAC system (and no one wants that bill). By shutting off rooms, you run into those pesky Laws of Thermodynamics again. The room will just keep getting hotter, and that heat will just transfer into the rest of your home, making your AC run longer. The longer your AC runs, the larger your electricity bill ends up being. Additionally, modern HVAC units are closed systems. By shutting vents, you can actually cause pressure problems which can restrict air flow. And that can make your AC run longer trying to cool the house.
Opening The Windows And (Don’t) Let In The Sun
If you grew up in an older house, you probably got told “open your window at night it’ll cool off”. Older houses, especially brick houses, trap heat like a heatsink. This means that opening your windows at night can release some of that built-up heat via the Law Of Thermodynamics we mentioned. If it does get to be a cooler temperature you’re okay with leaving your AC off in, make sure the AC is off before you open the windows. Otherwise, you’re just wasting power. Make sure to open windows on opposite sides of the house to get a cross breeze to cut the humidity. Try adding UV-blocking curtains so you get the breeze, but not the sun.
Don’t Let Your High Ohio Edison Bill Keep You Boiling
There are tons of tricks out there to keep your electricity bills low, but remember that pesky law of thermodynamics! That heat has to go somewhere, so keep it out of your house. If you’re ever curious about other tips or tricks, make sure you stop by again.
And if you ever need to look for a new electricity plan to keep your costs even lower, head on over to www.ohenergyratings.com