Living in Southern Louisiana can be a little taxing in the summer. For all the great festivals, wonderful food, and interesting nightlife, those blustery and humid days can be a little tough to deal with. It seems like everyone in the New Orleans area has a tip for how to stay cool when the summer heat comes, but there are some simple ways to both conserve energy and stay cool while living in an apartment home that may come in handy when the heat wave comes!
Flowing Filters
First of all, make sure that any and all air filters in your apartment are clean to allow cool, clean air to continue to flow through. Not only will this keep your apartment cooler, but it will keep electricity costs down and keep the air fresher within your apartment home. The suggested filter change period is generally around once or month depending on the amount of use within your home.
Don’t Bake; Nuke It
Another helpful tip you might not know is that microwave cooking not only uses much less energy than your full-sized oven, but it also emits much less heat into the room and surrounding areas. While oven cooking may be unavoidable for those big meals, if it’s at all possible to microwave your meal, this may help to keep your kitchen cool and your bills lower. Not only will the energy used be less, but using your microwave will ease the workload on your air conditioner, which could doubly help in terms of staying economical and cool. Beyond microwaving meals, eating cold meals can help to keep you refreshed and cool as well as keeping you from expending heat and energy with kitchen appliances. Bowls of fruit or a nice summer salad can do the trick quite nicely!
Keeping Control
Some people tend to lower their thermostat, then put on insulating clothes to deal with the chill that central air conditioners can create. Try simply raising the thermostat by a couple of degrees to neutralize the effect and still keep your apartment cool. The Consumer Energy Center recommends leaving it at 78 degrees while you’re home, and setting it to 85 degrees or turning it off when you leave the apartment. However, you can find the right level for your health and comfort as well as any pets who may live with you. The savings from this alone could really surprise you come bill time!
Pretty up with a Purpose
If you haven’t yet put curtains up in your apartment, they can be a real energy saver. When sun shines into your apartment, it heats up the space. Keeping your shades and curtains closed during daylight hours, especially if you’re out and about, can keep your apartment cooler and your air conditioner running at its optimum. For extra protection from the sun, there are options such as blackout curtains to protect your home from the harsh rays outside!
Whatever methods you may already have to stay cool during the sometimes harsh summers, try integrating some of these tips for maximum comfort and efficiency!
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
