7 Easy Ways to Keep the AC in and Reduce Energy Costs in Your Home | The Listing Team

Keeping your house cool in Florida’s tropical climate is a year-round challenge with few days off. Air conditioning contributes a substantial amount to residents’ energy bills in the Sunshine State, so they need to find any way they can to stop the influx of heat into their homes. Here are seven easy ways to keep your home cool and reduce energy costs.

Manage the Entry Points

The first step in solving your AC problem is identifying the entry points that heat can sneak through. Doors and windows are the main culprits, but you should take a closer look at these critical locations:

Attic: Your attic needs proper ventilation and insulation to trap cold air inside. Thankfully heat rises, so the highest point in the house is the easiest to keep cool.
Walls: Cold air has a more difficult time escaping through well-insulated walls.
Floors: Floors often have holes and cracks that warm air can sneak through. Seal them up with a filling substance or call in a professional.

You won’t be able to cover every crack and crevice, but taking care of these foundational parts of your home will eliminate the main threats.

2. Limit In-and-Out Traffic

Every time you open a door to the outside, warm air pours inside and unravels your AC system’s hard work. Help your AC by limiting traffic in and out of your home. You can develop this habit in several ways:

Reduce trips to/from your car for groceries, luggage, etc.
Use smaller entryways more often instead of the main entrance.
Don’t hold or prop the door open for long periods.

Remember this advice as you go about your day. Once you’re outside, stay outside. Once you get inside, stay inside. Keep the doors shut and let your AC system build a strong presence of cold air.

3. Use Draft Stoppers

Even when your doors are closed, warm air can still seep underneath them. Make sure you plug up these vulnerable spots with a draft stopper. You can make one yourself or get an inexpensive fabric stopper, but Florida residents would benefit the most from a heavy-duty stopper that latches onto doors with velcro or magnets.

You should also seal up your windows with weather stripping. They usually have a sufficiently airtight seal on their own, but every extra effort helps.

4. Upgrade Your Doors

If you don’t think a draft stopper provides enough protection, upgrade to a new set of doors or add storm doors to your existing structure. Look for swinging models with several layers of glass and low-emissivity coatings, as they conserve energy much better than old wooden doors and most sliding glass doors.

You should also update your garage door if you own a garage. Doors with a high R-value keep conditioned air within, and a reported 94.5% of homeowners recoup their costs come sale time.

5. Draw the Shades

Sunlight can also warm up your home in a hurry if you’re not careful. Draw the shades to block out the sunlight and let your AC system work to its full potential. Your home might appear darker throughout the daytime hours, but that’s a small price to pay for maintaining a cool and comfortable living space.

6. Replace Your Light Bulbs

With the shades drawn, you have to rely more on artificial light sources, which could present an internal problem if you have light bulbs that heat up quickly. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. They’re easier on the eyes, don’t heat up to uncomfortable temperatures, and last longer.

7. Add Other Cooling Devices

Reduce your AC system’s workload by adding other cooling devices to the house. Fans come in many shapes and sizes these days, and you can even buy a wearable fan for your head and neck. Add a few fans around the house and set them to oscillating mode to improve airflow and fill the house with cool air.

If a particular room in your house gives you trouble, consider purchasing a portable AC unit to solve the problem. Some work better for bedrooms, others can cool down a large living room, and a few models even have built-in Wi-Fi.

Help Your AC and Beat the Heat

You can keep the cold air your AC produces inside and Florida’s humid air out by sealing up problematic areas, upgrading your doors, and purchasing light bulbs and extra cooling sources. You can also practice cooler habits, including limiting traffic through entryways and drawing the shades.

You won’t always be able to keep your home cool in the Florida heat, but using the available resources and practicing eco-friendly habits can maximize your AC system’s hard work and reduce your energy bills.