Keeping cool in the desert isn’t about comfort – it’s about necessity. Soaring summer temperatures not only can make you uncomfortable; they can be dangerous, particularly for the elderly or infants. That’s why maintaining the health of your air conditioning unit is so important.
We’ve assembled our top ten Las Vegas air conditioning tips for helping maximize the efficiency of your cooling unit this summer. Following these tips will help you lower your electricity bills, potentially preserve the life of your air conditioning unit, and keep you and your family cooler in the hot desert sunshine this summer.
Top 10 Las Vegas Air Conditioning Tips
Tip #1 Use fans
Using ceiling or box fans will help circulate air and make you feel cooler.
Tip #2 Close your blinds
If you were lucky enough to buy a home that has a small number of windows on the east and west sides of the home, this will help you keep the sun rays from barreling in and heating things up. However, most of the time, builders construct new homes with little thought to the orientation of the sun. That’s when a good insulated blind can make a big difference. Statistics tell us that heat gain can be reduced by as much as 45% if blinds are kept shut on sunny days.
Tip #3 Install awnings
If you have windows that face south and your roof overhang doesn’t block the sun, awnings could help you control the indoor temperature. According to energy.gov, awnings can reduce heat gain from the sun’s rays by as much at 65% on south facing windows and up to 77% on west-facing windows.
Tip #4 Add high-reflective window films
3M Corporation makes a scientifically proven heat reflective film that sticks to the inside of your windows. This film not only reduces trapped heat in your home, but limits the damage to wood floors, carpet, and furniture, by reducing the sun’s glare.
Tip #5 Plant a tree
Planting shade trees on the north, east, and west sides of your home will help keep it cooler.
Tip #6 Insulate
When it comes to leaking air, windows are doors can be a problem. Adding caulking around the framing or installing weather stripping around the door jams, can help.
Tip #7 Skip the stove
Using a microwave instead of the oven can help keep your home cooler even on the hottest of days.
Tip #8 Install an attic fan
Adding an additional attic fan to release trapped heat will help your home stay cooler.
Tip #9 Add insulation
If you add more insulation to your attic, it will keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. More about benefits and types of insulation available to homeowners.
Tip #10 Get a spring check up
Conducting a spring check up on your a/c unit can help you with those exorbitant electricity bills we all face every year. By regularly obtaining air conditioning maintenance services, you will also preserve the life of your unit and keep it functioning at peak efficiency.
To find out more about our spring air conditioning tune-up, contact us today.