We have had quite the HOT summer here in Bryan-College Station. We want to help your home stay cool in these dry conditions when your air conditioning can't keep up.
With the state experiencing its most severe early summer drought conditions in nearly a decade, Texans are facing a wave of especially hot and dry weather that may kick off one of the state’s hottest summers on record, says Texas A&M University climate expert John Nielsen-Gammon.
At Stearns Home-Care, we want to make sure your home is cool is the summer. We do this by changing your AC filters, inspecting drywall, inspecting exterior caulking & wood, repair weather-stripping, and inspecting your roof.
Here are some other ways you can keep your home cool this summer without calling you air conditioning service!
Close blinds ​and Curtains
To significantly cool your home, keep your blinds and curtains closed during the day, specifically on east and west-facing windows.
Adjust ceiling fans
Sometimes you might feel like house fans push the hot air around your home rather than cool it down. Well, you're not wrong – fans that aren't rotating counter-clockwise may be doing just that! Set your ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise in summer to push air straight down, helping to create a cooling effect, and clockwise in winter to pull cool air up. Ceiling fans can also complement other cooling types, so checking they rotate in the correct direction can make a world of difference to your home's temperature.
Close doors and seal gaps
Close doors to rooms you aren't using to keep cool air where you need it most​ and the hot air when you don't want it. Seal gaps around doors and windows, to ensure the cool air can't escape.
Chill out
Sip icy-cold drinks, apply a damp cloth to palms of hands, soles of feet, and face as the primary points of body heat exchange. Take a cold shower to cool your body without needing to lower the air-conditioner temperature.
Portable Air Conditioner
There are many small portable air conditioners that wont break the bank but give you a little extra cross breeze in your home.
Plants
Though the payback on this may take a few seasons, planting shade trees and foliage around your home can help stop heat from seeping in through the windows and roof. Focus on exposures in this order: west, east, south, north