Summertime Cooling Mistakes Apartment Residents Should Avoid

No matter where you live, uncomfortably warm weather can present a number of challenges. Not only can such weather make various facets of your everyday life more difficult, it can lead to exorbitantly high utility costs throughout the summer. This is particularly true in the case of apartment residents without flat-rate utilities. So, if you’re looking to keep your apartment cool all summer long while avoiding financial strain, take care to avoid the following blunders.

Not Getting the Most out of Your Ceiling Fans 

Dependable ceiling fans are an essential presence in any apartment, particularly during periods of extreme heat. So, if your apartment is currently bereft of high-quality ceiling fans, take care to remedy this posthaste. For starters, make sure to check the terms of your rental agreement, as your landlord may be required to provide you with reliable fans. 

If purchasing and installing new fans is a responsibility that falls to you, seek out ceiling fans that are well-suited to your apartment and cooling needs. For example, if ceiling space is scarce, shop for a low profile ceiling fan.  

You can use ceiling fans to circulate cool air throughout your apartment and to take full advantage of nighttime cooldowns. Furthermore, by setting their blades to spin counterclockwise, you can enable ceiling fans to create downward-flowing cool breezes. 

Using Your Oven Too Much 

The smaller the living space, the greater the impact heat from an oven is likely to have on the temperature. That being the case, make an effort to limit oven usage throughout the summer, especially during daylight hours. Fortunately, given the extensive assortment of easy-to-make oven-free recipes floating around the web, you may not miss your oven as much as you expect to. 

Using Light Bulbs That Give Off Too Much Heat 

It’s not hard to see why so many people continue to buy traditional incandescent light bulbs. Even though the benefits of energy-efficient CFLs and LEDs are well-documented, some consumers simply can’t pass up the cheaper price tags associated with incandescents. Although the desire to save money is understandable, going the energy-efficient route means saving more in the long run. Since energy-efficient bulbs have longer lifespans and consume less power than traditional bulbs, a small short-term financial sacrifice can result in big savings down the line. 

Energy-efficient bulbs can also aid in your cooling efforts, seeing as they don’t burn as hot or give off as much heat as their incandescent predecessors. So, if you’re still using incandescent bulbs in your apartment, there’s no time like the present to make the jump to energy-efficient alternatives. In addition to helping you maintain cooler indoor temps, switching to LEDs or CFLs can prove conducive to lower energy costs.   

Letting in Too Much Sunlight  

The more sunlight you let into your apartment, the hotter it’s likely to get – especially throughout the summer. In the interest of combating this problem, make a point of closing your curtains, drapes or blinds during the sun’s peak hours. This will serve to reduce the amount of sunlight that finds its way inside, which can help keep indoor temps comfortably cool. 

If your apartment is located in an area that receives a considerable amount of sun, investing in blackout curtains may be worth your while. These curtains are composed of thicker, heavier materials than regular window dressings, ensuring that they’re well-equipped to minimize interior sunlight and maintain consistent indoor temperatures. Additionally, anyone who can only sleep comfortably in total darkness is likely to appreciate how effectively blackout curtains block out the early-rising summertime sun. Notably, blackout curtains prevent light from impeding the creation of melatonin, which can help people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.  

Depending on where you’re based, staying cool throughout the summer can prove tricky. This is particularly true for people looking to keep AC use to a minimum and those who lack air conditioning altogether. To make matters worse, many apartment residents unknowingly engage in a multitude of behaviors that make cost-effective cooling even harder. Fortunately, correcting these mistakes and getting your home cooling efforts back on the right track isn’t as difficult as you may think. Anyone looking to keep their apartment nice and cool without spending a bundle should steer clear of the errors outlined above.