Keeping shades and curtains closed on the sunny side of the house also helps, as well as keeping windows closed during the day and open at night, when the air is much cooler. Reduce heat being generated inside the home by scheduling heat-producing tasks such as baking and vacuuming during the cooler evening or morning hours. Use kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans when cooking or bathing to remove unwanted moisture quickly. Increase ventilation in the attic by opening attic windows or louvers. Cooling with fans.
Fans cool through circulation and ventilation, and use much less electricity than air conditioning.
You can create cross circulation with a portable window fan, making this an excellent and inexpensive cooling method, especially during the night or after a rainstorm when the outdoor air is cooler than indoors. Place the fan in a window on the coolest side of the house, using it to pull cool air in and push hot air out through open windows on the warm side of the house. When used correctly, window fans can cool several rooms at once. Cooling by using room or central air conditioning consumes much more energy than relying on fans or passive cooling, but measures can be taken to reduce costs and the strain on the electric supply system. Next month's Energy Tip will describe these strategies for reducing the cost of air conditioning.