Summer weather can reach pretty high temperatures, and the New Orleans area is known for its sultry summers. Energy bills can escalate during the hot summer months, but there are environmentally conscious, energy efficient cooling methods you can use to avoid running the air conditioning and expensive energy bills.
Fans – Fans are the most obvious and attainable air conditioning alternatives. If your apartment is equipped with ceiling fans, turn off the air conditioning and turn on the fans. For an extra electro-powered breeze, use an oscillating or box fan. You’d be surprised how fast and easy it is to keep cool just by utilizing different types of fans.
Blinds – Adjusting the blinds in your apartment is another simple example of using the available resources at home. Closing all the window blinds inside the apartment will keep it cooler, and if you do this in conjunction with turning on fans, you’ll forget you even have air conditioning.
Evaporative Cooler – Evaporative coolers, also known as swamp coolers, are a great eco-friendly and energy efficient alternatives to air conditioning. A portable evaporative cooler uses 75% less electricity than air conditioning and is powered by a standard 120 volt outlet. Evaporative Coolers push warm or polluted air out and create a cool breeze by combining evaporated water and air flow. Evaporative Coolers can be found at stores like Home Depot, Best Buy and Walmart.
North Facing Side – This is the most basic of all the methods, but usually the north facing side of your home is the coolest in the summer and the south-facing side is the best for keeping warm in the winter. You might want to consider rearranging the layout of your apartment for the summer to reserve the north-facing side for where you spend the most time.
Check out the available New Orleans apartments and summer apartment deals from 1st Lake Properties to find your own apartment to keep cool in.
The first thing you or anyone who enters your apartment sees is the entryway, or landing strip. It’s important to design it in a way that is organized, attractive, and acts as a drop off point. It should be inviting and a designated spot to leave keys and other last minute personal items. Use this checklist to create a complete home landing strip for your apartment.
Door Mat – This is pretty basic, but a door mat is important for wiping off your shoes if they are wet or dirty. Find a rubber door mat that you like to put in front of your door at your 1st Lake apartment.
Coat Hooks – This is where you can leave any outerwear, umbrellas or dog leashes so that they don’t make it any further into your home, causing additional clutter. Let this be the place where you store these kinds of items so you always know where they are. Find out how to install hooks without damaging the walls in your apartment. [link to blog post]
Side Table – A side table is another important storage tool that serves both form and function. This is where you can place your wallet, purse, keys, mail and other personal items. Just like the coat rack for clothing and accessories, you’ll never have to wonder where your keys are if you always keep them on the side table in your landing strip.
Waste basket – Keeping a waste basket in your entryway will prevent trash like junk mail, scraps of paper, gum wrappers and other discards from coming any further into your home and making a mess.
Mirror – We don’t always have time to pamper ourselves before leaving the house. Having a mirror in your landing strip to take a quick look at yourself before leaving the house gives you a final chance to fix an unruly cowlick or wipe that smudge of jelly from breakfast off your cheek before going out in public.
Now that you know how to make a killer entryway, find a great new apartment to build it in! Check out the available apartments in the New Orleans metro area right now from 1st Lake!
Having a lake just steps away from your apartment is a luxury most people would be thrilled to have. For residents of 1st Lake’s Lakes of Chateau Estates South apartments in Kenner, that dream is a reality. The on-site lake provides a serene escape from the city, picturesque views and a perfect location for a fishing rodeo!
Last month, on June 9, these Kenner apartments held their second annual Fishing Rodeo, after the inaugural one in 2012 was such a success. The rodeo took place from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and all of the entree fees were donated to the Metropolitan Women’s Shelter, going towards a very important cause that is meaningful to the team at Lakes of Chateau Estates South.
The Fishing Rodeo was quite the exciting and competitive event. Prizes were awarded for the biggest fish caught, the most fish caught, the smallest fish caught and the oddest catch, to throw a little humor into the competition. The very happy first place winner received over $200 in gift cards and prizes. Cox Communications, Hd Supply, Cort Furniture, Integrity Carpet and Paramount Pest Control were all sponsors for the Fish Rodeo Prizes.
To fuel the hungry contestants, lunch was provided by Papa John’s which donated 25 pizzas. If these kind of exciting summer events look fun to you, consider being a resident of one of 1st Lake Properties’ excellent apartments for rent in the New Orleans area!
The Citrus Creek East apartments in River Ridge are holding a cell phone drive in July to support Cell Phones For Soldiers. This non-profit organization’s mission is to supply free communication to the American armed forces through donations and recycled cell phones.
This important initiative accepts donated gently used cell phones which are sold to whole sellers or recycled. Every $5 contribution or donated device valued at $5 provides U.S. military troops with two and a half hours of free talk time. Since 2004, Cell Phones for Soldiers has provided 181 milion minutes of free talk time to soldiers, mails approximately 12,000 calling cards each week and recyled more than 10.8 million cell phones, reducing the impact of landfills.
Citrus Creek is accepting cell phones from now until July 31. Cell phones can be dropped off during office hours at either Citrus Creek East or Citrus Creek West. Anyone is welcome to donate to this cause, but only residents of Citrus Creek East will be eligible for a drawing to win a $50 gift card to Jimmy John’s.
If you have an old phone that is not being used, this is a great way to put it to good use and help soldiers stay in touch with family, friends and loved ones while on active duty. While you are dropping your old cell phone off at Citrus Creek East, make sure to take a tour of these fantastic apartments in River Ridge. Their one and two bedroom apartments are spacious and modern and the community includes an on-site fitness center and a recreation center with a theater room for entertaining.
Join 1st Lake Properties to help support our troops! Donate to Cell Phones for Soldiers at Citrus Creek East by July 31, 2013!
If you’re taking a much deserved vacation this summer to the beach, mountains, visiting family, or wherever your destination may be, eliminate any doubt or worry concerning your home or apartment while you’re away. In addition to packing for a trip, prepare for leaving by using this home checklist before your departure and you’ll be just as carefree as you should be while on vacation.
Water your plants – If you have any indoor plants in your apartment, make sure to water them right before you leave. If you have indoor plants that require daily watering, ask a trusted friend, family member or neighbor to water your plants while you’re away.
Turn off all the lights – To conserve energy, turn off the lights in your home. As to not call attention to your home, leave a lamp by the window on just as a security safeguard.
Reset the air conditioning – As another energy conservation step, make sure that your air conditioning is turned up. You don’t want to turn it completely off, but turn up the thermostat. If you are gone for more than a couple days and the air conditioning is off, it could potentially cause damage to certain personal items and cause the temperature in your apartment to reach an uncomfortable level upon your return.
Throw out any perishables – If you will be gone for more than a few days, go through your refrigerator and throw out any food that might go bad so you’re not left with a smelly mess to clean up when you return.
Lock all doors – This is a given, but make sure all entrances, including your front door, any side or back doors and patio doors are all locked.
Help – If you have plants, pets, or anything else that needs taking care of while you are away, make arrangements for someone you know and trust to watch your apartment and collect mail and newspapers for you. Make sure they have a key and you leave them a list of any important information.
Arm alarm system – Don’t forget to set your security alarm system while you’re away and make sure that anyone with a key knows the code.
Unplug or turn off electronics – Besides double checking that nothing is running like the oven or a humidifier, unplug electronics like hair dryers and entertainment systems to conserve energy while you’re gone.
Looking for an apartment to call your own? Check out all of our available apartments in New Orleans and contact 1st Lake Properties today!
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
