Keeping cool in the OK heat

Photo: goodielelectric.com

People who move to the Okanagan often wish they would have bought a home with air conditioning, which is convenient and refreshing, but can be costly over time.

If you chose to purchase a home without AC and don’t have the budget to add a system at this time, there are numerous other ways you can cool your home down in the Okanagan summers:

Fans: Putting a fan near a window air conditioner will help with distributing the air over a much larger area than can be reached by the window unit itself. 

More fans: Other portable fans can also work well and are easily placed around your home for extra air circulation. Ceiling fans are also an inexpensive and effective way of moving more air around the home during the day and night, helping the home feel several degrees cooler. Make sure your fan is set to blow the air down into the room.

Close the curtains: Strategically closing the window coverings on the south and west sides of the home all day will definitely help keep the heat out, especially if your blinds or curtains are a reflective “white” on the exterior.

Appliances: Using the barbecue or microwave versus the stove/oven will help keep excess heat out of the home during meal times and beyond. Running the dishwasher at night and setting it for non-heated drying also helps. Be sure to wash full loads to save energy.

Turn off the lights: Turn off any unnecessary lights everywhere in the house. Use power strips for computers, televisions, etc. and switch them off when those items aren’t being used.

These simple ideas will help homeowners stay cool and comfortable all summer long in the Okanagan while saving money and preventing wasted energy.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.