Here are some tips to keep your house cool and save on your power bills this summer, as well as home improvement projects to tackle when it’s too hot to work outside.

Keeping Your House Cool

Try these tips to keep your house cooler and lower your energy bills this summer!

Keep the Sun Out

Lower blinds or close curtains on the sunny side of the house during the day to reduce solar heat gain in your home.

Planting deciduous shade trees, such as oaks and maples, on the south and west sides of your house is a great long term solution to block the sun’s rays.

    Danny Lipford with Carrier central air conditioner unit.

    AC Maintenance

    Performing routine maintenance on your air conditioner is essential to keep it working efficiently. Start by having your AC unit inspected by a quality HVAC pro, such as those from Carrier, to make sure the unit is working properly.

    Next, replace the air filter every month or two during the summer to allow your system to operate at peak efficiently and keep the air in your home clean.

    Update Your Thermostat

    Danny Lipford with Carrier Côr thermostat.If the thermostat on your air conditioner hasn’t been replaced with a programmable model, such as the Carrier Côr™ thermostat you’re spending up to 20% more cooling your home.

    Programmable thermostats automatically adjust the temperature in your home when you’re away and lower it back to a comfortable level before you arrive home.

    The Côr™ thermostat is Wi-Fi enabled to allow remote access from a smartphone or tablet. It also features smart setback which allows the thermostat to intelligently adapt to changes for even greater energy efficiency.

    Create a Breeze

    Fans are a great way to create an artificial breeze to cool you down, but they only work when standing in front or under them, so turn fans on only when you’re in the room.

    To heighten the cooling effect of ceiling fans, set the motor so the blades rotate counterclockwise when looking up at the fan.

    Attaching hose to wall outlet of NuTone central vacuum system.

    Improve Indoor Air Quality

    Houses today are built tighter than ever, which is great for improving energy efficiency, but it can also trap polluted air in your home.

    Cleaning carpet with NuTone central vacuum.To improve indoor air quality, run bathroom vent fans during and for 15-20 minutes after bathing or showering, and kitchen range hoods when cooking.

    Another way to improve the indoor air quality in your home is by installing a central vacuum system, such as the PurePower™ Series from NuTone.

    Unlike canister and upright vacuums, which recirculate the air in your home, a central vacuum system exhausts the air outside. In addition a central vacuum system is much quieter to operate.

    NuTone PurePower Series Central Vacuums are available in three different sizes, delivering from 500 to 650 air watts of power.

    Indoor Home Improvement Projects

    Rather than braving the heat outside, this is a great time to catch up on some often overlooked interior home improvement projects.

    Family Photo Wall

    Packages of Advanced Strength and Repositionable Glue DotsRelive your favorite family memories by turning a wall in your home into a family photo gallery.

    Save money by matting and framing the photos yourself.

    To decide on the layout of the pictures on the wall, apply Repositionable Glue Dots to the back of each frame, then position the frames in the desired location on the wall.

    When you have all the photos where you want them, mark each location with painter’s masking tape, remove the pictures from the wall, and hang the frames with picture hangers.

    Replace Cabinet Hardware

    You’ll be amazed at how much difference updating the hardware on your kitchen cabinets or bathroom vanity can make.

    Start by measuring your existing knobs or pulls or taking one with you to the home center to make sure the new hardware you buy will be large enough to cover the footprint of the old hardware.

    Next, stick Advanced Strength Glue Dots to the back of the new cabinet hardware to hold it in place in the desired location, then use a cordless drill to screw the new hardware to the cabinets.

    Using Glue Dots to attach a tile to a wall.

    Advance Strength Glue Dots can also be used for a number of household repairs, including attaching moldings and holding loose tiles in place.

    Watch Cool Summer Home Improvement Tips and Products to find out more.

    Editorial Contributors
    avatar for Danny Lipford

    Danny Lipford

    Founder

    Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

    Learn More