As a kid I never understood why all the houses had trees around them. Now that I'm a big kid and living out here on the high plains I understand it and I'm nurturing my front yard tree to help it get big! What little shade it provides around it's dripline is really great after working outside. Hopefully it will cut the cost of my cooling bill on the house in a few years.
While at work I sit under my trailer while I'm loading instead of running the A/C in the truck. I know it's a small thing, but I guess it adds up and it keeps my body more tolerant to the intense heat here.
Observe the world as though you were a child and enjoy the wonder of it all.
I try and keep my shades drawn on really hot days. My home faces west and we get the intense sun in the afternoons. I also keep my my bedroom shades drawn so the house really cools down nicely. We do have central air, I cannot do without it. But keeping the house cool, I can keep the air a bit higher.
I definitely try to block sunlight too because it really isn't appreciated during the summer, especially where I live at. What I've learned to do during the summer is to spend some time under the shade in the mornings outside and I try to turn off the A/C at nights when its not as hot.
Hopefully I'll be installing my solar panels next year, and I'll be able to stay cool and green.
With high gas prices right now, the car a/c is definitely out of the question. I just roll down the windows and try to take the heat.
I try and limit the amount of water we use in the summer months. When my kids are out playing in the yard with the sprinkler, I make sure they turn it off when not in use. They love to just leave the hose running and forget all about it.
I also try and water my plants at night so they stay moist longer.
Just a hint from the Organic Gardeners show. They say water in in the early morning if possible. Watering at night can cause molds or fungus to grow on your plants.
Observe the world as though you were a child and enjoy the wonder of it all.
I have solar curtains on all my windows. I bought them off the web. They are about $9.95 a pair. [30x81] My, house faces the West. I also use ceiling fans. I put a small one in my hallway I found that a lot of cool air was standing there. This may sound crazy I put up a clear shower curtain between my kitchen and common room. This helps divert most of the cool towards were it is needed. I have and old squirrel cage blower I also use. Cold air falls and I have it sitting on the floor blowing up ward. This has made a big difference.
I put mine where the shears would have gone. My friend put hers on back her drapes. My sister-in-law just hung them as curtians over their sliding glass door.
i know a lot of people, myself included, like to have the ac on when we sleep so that we can stay cool in bed. one thing i like to do is leave the ac on in my room for maybe a half hour or so before i go to sleep, with the windows and doors closed so that the rooms gets cool enough to sleep comfortably in. then when i get into bed, i turn the ac off, and the room will stay cool long enough for me to fall asleep. this way, i wont leave the ac on all night, and for the time that im awake in bed i'll be comfortable. when i wake up, i'm definitely less comfortable because my room is hotter, but i cap it off with a mildly cold shower to wake me up and cool me down
Another thing to do is to let your pool towels dry outside. I read that using a dryer takes a lot of energy. My kids go to the pool each day, so I will try and do this, though I must admit, I am always in such a rush to get ready for the next day.
When I was growing up we had one AC unit in the house and had an attic fan also.
We also had a swamp cooler in the den and kitchen. However when we go to East Texas in the summer they would put us kid on a pallet on the floor to nap. To keep us cool they would put a block of ice 25# or 50# in a wash tub and blow a fan across it. Just today I saw a new twist to that. I have some elderly neighbors that live a small trailer. They use swamp coolers to keep cool. The twist is they have gallon milk jug fill with water and they freeze them and put them in their swamp coolers. It was very comfortable. How inventive!
As a kid I never understood why all the houses had trees around them. Now that I'm a big kid and living out here on the high plains I understand it and I'm nurturing my front yard tree to help it get big! What little shade it provides around it's dripline is really great after working outside. Hopefully it will cut the cost of my cooling bill on the house in a few years.
While at work I sit under my trailer while I'm loading instead of running the A/C in the truck. I know it's a small thing, but I guess it adds up and it keeps my body more tolerant to the intense heat here.
Observe the world as though you were a child and enjoy the wonder of it all.
I definitely try to block sunlight too because it really isn't appreciated during the summer, especially where I live at. What I've learned to do during the summer is to spend some time under the shade in the mornings outside and I try to turn off the A/C at nights when its not as hot.
Hopefully I'll be installing my solar panels next year, and I'll be able to stay cool and green.
With high gas prices right now, the car a/c is definitely out of the question. I just roll down the windows and try to take the heat.
I try and limit the amount of water we use in the summer months. When my kids are out playing in the yard with the sprinkler, I make sure they turn it off when not in use. They love to just leave the hose running and forget all about it.
I also try and water my plants at night so they stay moist longer.
Just a hint from the Organic Gardeners show. They say water in in the early morning if possible. Watering at night can cause molds or fungus to grow on your plants.
Observe the world as though you were a child and enjoy the wonder of it all.
I put mine where the shears would have gone. My friend put hers on back her drapes. My sister-in-law just hung them as curtians over their sliding glass door.
They are silver and I have them be hind my curtians.
We also had a swamp cooler in the den and kitchen. However when we go to East Texas in the summer they would put us kid on a pallet on the floor to nap. To keep us cool they would put a block of ice 25# or 50# in a wash tub and blow a fan across it. Just today I saw a new twist to that. I have some elderly neighbors that live a small trailer. They use swamp coolers to keep cool. The twist is they have gallon milk jug fill with water and they freeze them and put them in their swamp coolers. It was very comfortable. How inventive!