Keeping Cool Without Air Conditioning

 

The price of electricity has gone up quite a bit in recent years. Even if your home has central air conditioning, you may not want to use it in order to save money. Or if your home doesn’t have it at all, read on to find out how to stay cool when it’s hot outside.

The Air Outside

When the day is cool, like in the evening or morning, keep the windows open to let the air in. Then when the air starts warming up, close all of the windows and doors to keep your cooler air in, and the warmer air out.

Window Coverings

Make sure that all sun facing windows have thick window treatments. If you have drapes, make certain they’re lined. It helps also to have sheers to block the strong sun from getting through.
Having wood blinds will protect you the most followed by metal and plastic slats.
Have some large plants in pots that you can move in front of the curtains as they will absorb a lot of the sunshine.

Using Fans

Ceiling fans can create a pleasant breeze to cool a room significantly, but ceiling fans should be placed where they can keep people cool rather than a room. And make sure you have it turning in the correct direction to provide a downdraft. Turn the fan off when you leave the room since you won’t need it to keep you cool.
Use standalone fans and a water spritzer to cool yourself as well.
And, in the evening when you open up the house, set one fan at one end of the house to pull in cold air. Put another fan in the opposite end of the house to push out the hot air, and you have a wind tunnel to get cooler air in and warmer air out.

Other Tips

Keeping the lights and other electrical appliances off will also help reduce the ambient temperature. Also, incandescent bulbs run hotter than fluorescent or LED bulbs.
Plant trees and shrubs strategically to provide lots of shade.
Ensure that your home is well insulated.
Look into adding awnings or porch roofs.
Check out films that are attached to the outside of a window that reflect light and heat.
Look into investing in a toaster oven, rice cooker, electric pressure cooker or slow cooker in order to reduce using the oven or stove.
And don’t forget to drink a lot of ice water.

3 Home Renovations That Pay Off

 

 

Did you buy a house that you’re intending to flip? Or perhaps you just bought your first house, and know that you want to make some smart updates that will improve the resale value when you sell it to buy a larger home in a few years. Or you’ve lived in your home a long time and are thinking of selling to downgrade, and want to get the most money possible.
So today we’ll look at the big three home renovations that get you the most money in return for your money invested.

 

Baths and Kitchens

These are the gold standards of renovations. Talk with a local real estate agent who knows your neighborhood as to what the trends are. If people are buying homes with cabinets, and you remodel with all pedestal sinks, it may not bump up the prices like you want.
Repainting cabinet door fronts and updating hardware, counter-tops and appliances will give you the best ROI. And make sure the floor looks nice. If not, look for some inexpensive vinyl flooring.
If you’re trying to save money with your bathroom renovation, keep the tub and tile, but look into updating the faucet fixtures, light fixtures and the toilet. People are really looking for low-flow toilets, but the big draw are the two way flush toilets.
In the kitchen, look to replace laminate counter-tops with granite or fake stone. And black and white appliances are being upgraded to stainless steel.

Update for Efficiency

One of the first questions most home buyers want to know is “how much is it going to cost me monthly?” So look at ways to save yourself money, and keep the documentation, and your home will look like a great prospect when you go to sell it.
Look into updating:

• toilets
• water heater
• HVAC
• low flow showerheads
• windows
• doors
• weatherstripping
• and all kitchen appliances

Should you upgrade to solar? That’s a good question. The companies show how you can save money, but some of them have you buy the panels. You need to ask if it’s transferable or if you’ll be on the hook for paying an exit charge.

Fix Up the Outside

This is just simply making the outside of the house pop. Add in new landscaping. Repaint the outside. Clean up the backyard. Get your trees trimmed. Reseed any bare spots in your lawn. Upgrade your sprinkler system (see if your water company has any good rebates). Make it a house you want to come home to.