How do you keep your house cool without running your electricity bills up? Here are our 6 practical electricity-saving tips.

The summer months of May through August can be extremely hot, especially if you’re living in tropical countries where it seems to be summer all year long.  While this season is the best time to enjoy outdoor BBQs with your family, beach trips with friends, and go camping somewhere outside the city. However, this time of year could also be very unbearable when you stay indoors—with all the heat, dust, and humid air circulating your house during the day. And you don’t want to keep your AC on for long periods of time!

To keep your house cool without running up your electric bills, here are 6 energy-saving tips you can try:

1. Block the sun out

This one’s obvious; however, most of us still let the sun stream inside our house through our windows. To keep our house cool, we must keep curtains closed, especially during the hottest time of the day. If your curtains are not thick enough to block off the sunlight, using blinds would help make your room cooler. If you want to let some sun in, you can slightly turn the blinds upward to allow light, while letting the warm air escape.

Tip: Know which windows to close during certain times of the day. Because the sun shines from the south, south-facing windows tend to receive the most light and usually are the hottest. North-facing windows, on the other hand, get the least light and are the coolest. Though east-facing windows receive light in the morning, morning light is usually cool. In the afternoon, west-facing windows receive the most light and can become very hot. 

2. Keep interior doors open

Moving air is cooler than still air. To keep the air circulating in your home, leave your interior doors open. This simple step can significantly regulate the room temperature, especially if you don’t have an open-concept living space. Keeping your interior doors open allows air to move freely and eliminates hot spots indoors. 

3. Open windows at night 

Though the summer heat is unbearable during the day, the weather can be breezy in the late afternoon. Once the sun goes down, you can open your windows to let the cool breeze in. The most important time to open the windows during summer is at night because this is when the air is coolest. Doing so will promote cross-ventilation in your home so you and your family can sleep better. With cool air circulating in your home all night, you’ll have a fresh abode when the morning comes.

You can also keep your windows and balcony doors open early in the morning to keep the cool breeze moving in your home while the morning light is not yet very hot. 

Tip:  To prevent mosquitoes and bugs from getting into your home, install nets that cover your door frames and windows. 

4. Turn off unused appliances and lights

Unused appliances that are on will generate unwanted heat in your home. If you’re not using an appliance, like your computer, TV, or kitchen gadget, consider turning them off instead of just leaving them on stand-by. Your lightbulbs can also generate unwanted heat inside your house, so make sure to turn your lights off during the day.

Tip: The type of lightbulb you use can also impact its ability to generate heat. To keep your house cool, especially during summer, invest in energy-saving lightbulbs, which have lower heat-generating abilities.

5. Plant foliage and invest in house plants

Plants can act as natural air conditioners as they generate moisture into the atmosphere and purify the air. To ward off the heat naturally, sprinkle in some houseplants inside your home. They not only make the rooms look refreshing but also improve your mood.  

Planting shade trees and green foliage around your house can also stop heat from coming in through your windows and roof. Although they may take seasons to grow, they will be a great investment in your home all year round.

Tip: Peace lilies and rubber plants are found to be the most heat-efficient plants as they work best in humid conditions and have great cooling power. 

6. Clean and declutter your home

Lastly, keep your house clean and clutter-free. A messy and cluttered space can restrict airflow, which can make the room feel hotter and more humid. With respect to air quality, clutter can also pollute the air indoors. When you declutter your home, there will be more space for heat to disperse and for air to move freely, making it faster for a room to cool down.  Aside from decluttering, make sure to also clean every nook, store unwanted items and toxic products properly, and diligently throw your garbage away.

Bottom Line

You don’t need to spend so much money on air conditioners to keep your house cool when the weather gets too hot. With proper planning and good strategy, you can block off unwanted heat and humidity to make your home more refreshing. 

To recap, here are our 6 tips to keep your house cool without running up your electric bills:

  1. Block the sun out
  2. Keep interior doors open
  3. Open windows at the night
  4. Turn off unused appliances and lights
  5. Plant foliage and invest in house plants
  6. Clean and declutter your home

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