Las Vegas has seen some incredible, record-breaking heat waves in recent years. In fact, this past June, the city became caught in a heat dome, a type of weather phenomenon that traps superheated air close to the ground. As a result, the city experienced another record-breaking heat wave, with temperatures reaching as high as 109 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures were so high that NASA picked up the heat on its sensors far above in space. Keeping your home cool in these extreme temperatures can feel impossible. While the best HVAC repair Las Vegas has to offer can help, your AC alone might not be enough to keep your home nice and cool on the hottest days.
However, there are a few other things that you can do to stay safe, comfortable, and cool this summer, even as temps continue to rise. Keep reading to learn a few tips for cooling your home.
Keep Your Blinds Closed
If you’re someone who likes to throw open the blinds at the start of the day, it’s time to change your habits. While it might not seem like those blinds on your windows are good for much more than blocking out some light, this isn’t the case. Particularly on windows that face North or West, leaving your blinds closed all day can help to block some heat. The blinds act as a block to the sun’s rays, which heat your windows and, in turn, your home.
To take this tip to the next level, consider adding some black-out curtains. While these may be specifically designed to darken your rooms, they have an added bonus of trapping some of the heat getting in from your window to prevent it from warming the inside air.
Add Landscaping or Awnings to Block Some Heat
Blocking some sunlight, and in turn, heat, from getting past your windows can help keep your home a little cooler. But you can double this effect by also blocking some of that heat and sunlight on the outside of your home.
Using landscaping like bushes or trees, potted plants, or even awnings or exterior shutters can all help to block some sunlight from hitting your home’s windows directly. With the sun deflected from your windows, they’ll absorb less heat, allowing less to pass through into your home.
Raise Your Thermostat
As the temperatures outside soar, you’ll no doubt be tempted to keep cranking your AC down, one degree at a time. But this could actually wind up backfiring and leave your home even warmer than before.
Your home’s air conditioner is only designed to cool your home to between 15 and 25 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. This means that while you can set your thermostat at 65 when it’s 100 degrees outside. However, the inside temp of your home will likely only dip to between 75 and 85 degrees.
In addition to being ineffective, there’s another side effect of setting your thermostat too low; it causes your unit to work overtime. As your AC struggles to cool your home below what it’s capable of, it creates additional wear on the unit. This can cause it to age prematurely, and actually, shorten the lifespan of your HVAC unit. Aim to set your thermostat to a temperature that’s as high as you can comfortably and safely stand in your home in order to avoid this.
Check Your Ceiling Fans
Many homeowners, and especially new homeowners, aren’t aware that ceiling fans can be adjusted to both help warm up a room and cool it. If your home’s ceiling fans are set incorrectly, they could wind up pushing hot air down into your living space, causing your room to be warmed even though the fan is on.
Before the hot weather strikes, it’s a good idea to check your home’s ceiling fans to make sure that they’re ready for summer. When they work properly, they’re designed to pull hot air up to the ceiling and push cooler air down into your living space.
Move Your Meals Outdoors
Turning on too many kitchen appliances, like your stove, oven, and microwave, can quickly heat up the interior of your home. This is especially bad at lunch, which often falls during the hottest time of the day. But during a summer heat wave, dinner time is often unbearably hot outside as well.
To avoid putting even more heat into your home, take your cooking outdoors to a grill, or stick to foods that are served cold, like salads.
Stay Hydrated
When your body isn’t properly hydrated, it can’t properly cool itself. While your AC unit will hopefully keep your home nice and cool, and the other tips on this list can help save you a few degrees, making sure that you’re preparing your body for the heat can go a long way towards helping you to stay comfortable.
Make sure that you’re drinking plain water frequently throughout the day. This will ensure that your body can properly regulate its temperature, and help you to feel cooler.
Let Nature Help
When temperatures drop off sharply at the end of the day, take advantage of a cool breeze or comfortable temps by opening your windows and letting the air in. This not only can help cool your home but is also a great way to give your HVAC system a break.
Rethink Your Fabrics
From your clothing to your bed sheets, the types of materials used can have a big impact on your comfort levels. Fabrics that naturally cool your skin like bamboo sheets or clothes can go a long way towards helping you stay cool when you do need to go out.
Let the Best HVAC repair Las Vegas Has to Offer Help
Is your HVAC unit struggling to cool your home just 15 degrees past the outside temp? Let the best HVAC repair Las Vegas has to offer help. In addition to helping troubleshoot any issues with your unit, the experts at Rakeman can also perform regular maintenance that helps to keep it in top working order longer. Give us a call today to schedule your next HVAC service.
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