Use the dehumidification mode, create current between rooms, and get help from plants: how to stay fresh and reduce energy consumption during the hottest months of the year.
After the tips to save on heating in the cold season, the time is coming when refresh the home becomes a priority, so here are our tips to save on your bill in the summer months.
1) Choose high-energy class air conditioners
When purchasing, choose Energy class conditioners no lower than A. They are the most expensive devices, but the greater expense is quickly amortized thanks to the drop in consumption in the bill: these appliances, in fact, can consume up to 30% less.
2) Take advantage of the dehumidification mode
Often the sensation of heat is given by the high percentage of humidity in the air and not by the temperature. Using the dehumidifier mode, which saves on the use of the compressor and any fans, it will be possible to alleviate the annoyance associated with the heat by reducing the conditioner consumption by 75%.
3) Clean filters and splits
If the splits are clogged, the cooling is limited and the conditioner will tend to work more than is necessary. Even when the filters are dirty, the air conditioner must consume more energy. It is therefore very important to carry out regular maintenance of splits and filters, even do-it-yourself, to reduce consumption.
4) Use fans and ceiling paddles
The ceiling blades, which push the air from top to bottom, reduce the perceived temperature inside the room by about 3-4 degrees. The same goes for fans, which consume about 15 times less energy than an air conditioner.
5) For the external walls prefer light colors
As part of renovation work, paint the exterior walls of the house with light colors, which reflect sunlight and keep the internal temperature lower.
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6) Eye to the lights
Bulbs, especially halogen ones, heat the room. Better then to use LEDs. In addition to consuming less energy (up to 80% less, LEDs do not overheat the rooms so they do not generate heat. In general, if possible, turn off the lights in the rooms, corridors and other rooms in the house when natural light is sufficient or when the places to be lit are not used.
7) Surround yourself with plants
Plants are excellent allies of refreshment: placing a large tree near your home allows you to lower the temperature in your home by up to five degrees. In addition to being natural parasols, plants take heat from the atmosphere and lower the temperature. If you don’t have the space for a tree, fill your windowsill with plants: proportionally, they will also contribute to lowering the domestic temperature.
8) Improve the insulation of the house
As it happens in winter, even in summer the thermal insulation is fundamental: the possibility of keeping the house cool also passes through the installation of last generation fixtures, which guarantee a better seal compared to heat loss. In general, a good insulation system – walls and windows – will help save energy in summer and winter, while also avoiding heat and cold.
9) Install awnings
On the balcony and on the terrace you can install solar blinds, which also allow you to create a more pleasant climate inside the house, attenuating the heat produced by radiation. The awnings for outdoor use can reduce the temperature of houses and apartments from 2° to 5°, allowing to lower the consumption of the air conditioner up to 30-50%. It is important that the curtains can be removed or folded well in winter so as not to hinder the solar radiation that, in the cold months, helps to naturally heat the house.
10) Keep the oven off
For cooking foods, prefer methods that do not overheat the environment: the microwave, for example, is an excellent alternative, also because it consumes less electricity than an electric oven. Other cooking systems that do not heat the house, and save gas as well as electricity, are the plate, the pressure cooker and the steam cooking, maybe bunk.
