By Anthony Marmo
After a warmer than usual winter, including record high temperatures in March, many Westchester residents wonder what kind of heat we’ll experience this summer. They also want to know how to keep comfortable but not spend too much on air conditioning. Here’s what I advise all my clients!
1. Replace the filter in your air conditioner at the beginning of the season, and check if it needs replacing every month during the summer.
2. Seal up all the drafts in your home. Heat travels from where it is greater to where it is less, so check weather stripping and caulking around windows and doors, and reseal areas that allow hot air inside.
3. Keep your thermostat on, but a few degrees higher than normal during daytime hours when no one is home. For example, if you keep the thermostat at 72 when you are home, keep it at 77 while away. The home will not become so hot that the air conditioning has to run at peak for several hours to cool the home.
4. Set automatic thermostats to cool the home when you need it to be cooled, and turn up when away, or during cooler hours overnight.
5. Keep shades and blinds closed during daylight hours to reduce the sun’s warmth inside the house.
6. Wait until evening, when it is cooler, to run the dishwasher, clothes dryer and other heat producing appliances.
7. Keep bushes and other obstructions away from central air conditioner units. Also, hose off air intake fins to remove dirt and cobwebs.
Moisture control is half the battle in keeping the home comfortable. Our bodies naturally cool themselves with evaporation of moisture on the skin. If the air in the home is dry, evaporation happens more efficiently and we feel more comfortable. To keep moisture levels down inside the house, follow the next three tips:
8. Keep an automatic dehumidifier in the basement to catch moisture at its main source and keep it from creeping up into the living areas.
9. Run ventilation fans when using the kitchen and bathroom. These fans are not only for smoke and odors, but they also help remove moisture when cooking, running the dishwasher, or taking a shower.
10. Inspect pipes throughout the home to be sure there are no leaks.
Anthony Marmo is the owner of Clover Comfort in Sleepy Hollow. Call 914-631-6744 for a free home evaluation. For more information about home air conditioning, heating, and ventilation, go to www.clovercool.com, or visit www.facebook.com/CloverComfort.