Triangle Area Real Estate News & Information

It’s finally June; the mercury is rising, the sun is shining, and the house is starting to really warm up again. On one hand, if don’t have air conditioning in your home, you’re probably sitting there wishing that you did. On the other hand, if you do have air conditioning, you might be dreading the arrival of the next electricity bill. It’s hot now, and it’s only going to get warmer. Here are some simple tips that you can try this year to keep your wallet happy and you’re home nice and comfortable.

Block The Heat From Coming Inside

It’s easy to keep bugs and pests out of the home, but heat is something completely different. The best way to cool you’re North Carolina home is to prevent the heat from building up in the first place.

1. Watch The Windows & Mind Your Blinds

We all love to see windows in a home, but they can be your best friend and worst enemy when it comes to regulating your home’s temperature. Over 25% of unwanted heat comes from windows, so by blocking it out with some shades or blinds, you could be reflecting the light back outside rather than absorbing it inside your home. If you can, try to buy white or very lightly colored linens or blinds, as they do the best job of reflecting the light back.

As nice as it is to light your home with all that beautiful sunshine, you’ll want to keep your blinds closed as much as possible to keep the house cool.

2. Use Doors To Your Advantage

You might start to notice that some rooms are warmer or cooler than others. Closing the door on these little household microclimates during the day can really help to keep that temperature confined to just that room. Just remember to open them all at night, along with the windows, so that the cooler air can flow through your home and take away all of the excess heat with it.

3. Fire Up The Barbeque

It’s not like you needed another reason to get grilling, but using your stovetop or oven will heat up your house. Keep that heat outside where it belongs by planning your meals accordingly. It’s easy to find fresh produce this time of the year from the local Farmers’ Market, so why not opt for a nice, refreshing salad or sandwich.

4. Switch Up Your Laundry Routine

Try to use the dryer as little as possible, as this is another huge creator of heat inside the home. Try to dry your clothes naturally with a clothesline or a drying rack, just be sure to clear it with your local HOA first to make sure you won’t offend your neighbors. Project Laundry List is a great resource for finding out which area’s prohibit the use of clotheslines. You’ll also save money by not using the dryer, so it’s a win-win!

5. Install New Lights

CFL lights last longer and use less electricity than incandescent lights. In fact, of all of the energy that’s used to illuminate an incandescent bulb, nearly 90% of it is converted into heat and the other 10% actually becomes light. As small and simple as a light bulb is, when several of them are turned on for most of the day, it could make a noticeable difference in temperature. Not only will you reduce the heat in the room by switching to CFLs, you could notice quite a difference on your electricity bill too. LED lights are even more efficient than CFLs, so if you can afford them, they would be your best option.

For more tips like these and others just like them, get in touch with the My NC Homes team today or leave a comment below! We’d love to chat with you about your home, and if you’re getting ready to buy or sell real estate in the Triangle area, we can certainly help with that too. Send us a message online or give us a call at 919.659.5173 to learn more.