Cutting utility bills
@thebeaddoodler (4262)
Lubbock, Texas
June 2, 2008 12:12pm CST
Yesterday it was 101 degrees outside. I have an evaporative cooler in my living room, so when it's running I have a window at the other end of the house open about two inches to draw cool air.
I walked past a window and had to stop. It felt like there was a fire going somewhere close to that window. I looked outside even though I knew that if there was a fire I would smell it. Then I realized the heat was from the sun shining on the window! My poor evaporative cooler was having a hard time keeping just the living room to 80 degrees.
I resorted to a cheapy trick I learned a long time ago. I got out the aluminum foil and completely covered all the windows on that side of the house with it. By the time I was finished the whole house was cooled down by about 5 degrees. That doesn't sound like much, but it sure feels better! It looks bad, but no worse really than the mylar window curtains I used to have. I'm still kicking myself for leaving them in that house when I moved!
With the energy crisis and everything going up so much, I may have to forget about esthetics and resort to all the cheapy tricks I know!
1 person likes this
3 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
2 Jun 08
You can cut cardboard to fit your windows (unless they're picture window size) and cover that with aluminum foil, then just put it up and take it down when you want to. A piece like that will last a long time. Other ways to help keep your house cool: Keep doors closed to rooms you're not using (the bathroom doesn't need to be cooled, for instance), use white or light colored draperies and curtains to reflect the heat instead of absorbing it, and if the temperature cools down at night, open up the house and let the cooler air circulate to cool the entire house, then close it up tight before it heats up again.
2 people like this
@thebeaddoodler (4262)
• Lubbock, Texas
3 Jun 08
My windows are pretty big, but I may be able to find cardboard to fit them. I hadn't thought of that.
I do all the other things you mentioned. We usually have enough breeze blowing that this time of year it's nearly noon before the house starts to heat up. Of course later on it'll be close the house up by 8 am.
Thanks for the cardboard tip.
1 person likes this
@horsesrule (1957)
• United States
2 Jun 08
I've done this too and yes, it doesn't look the greatest but to help the cooler to work better so you can be more comfortable, that is the most important thing! Once its near 100 degrees and more, then ya gotta do whatever you can to keep as cool as possible!
2 people like this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
2 Jun 08
We bought limousine window tinting for all of our windows it does help and i can still see out. And when you live in a hot as hades climate you have to use all the tricks you can find. Besides 5 degrees can be the difference between 85 degrees and 90 degrees and that ain't nothing to sneeze at.
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