It is that time of the year again – triple digits are in the forecast for Placer County. Now is the time to start thinking about how you can try to keep your home cool this summer without relying too much on your air conditioner.

We have compiled some quick tips that can help you with this.

Use Your Fans

Seems obvious, right? Some people overlook the power of fans though. It is important to use a ceiling fan to keep air circulating throughout a room to keep temperatures down. You can also place a box fan next to a vent to help push cool air out. Those lucky enough to have a whole house fan should be utilizing it in the morning and late evening when the temperature outside may be cooler than it is inside. Whole house fans pull the air from outside in through the house.

Replace Old Air Filters

If you want your air conditioner to run at peak performance, then it is a good idea to make sure to check that your house’s air filter is clean. If you haven’t replaced it since last year, it is probably a good idea to measure the size of your filter and make a trip to the home improvement store to get a new one.

Utilize Your Blinds

If you have blinds on most or all of your windows – use them. Figuring out what times of the day the sun hits your house will allow you to know when you should have blinds on that side of the house closed. If your house faces west, for example, close all the blinds on the west side of your house before going to sleep at night so in the morning your blinds can shield against the sun’s rays. Getting new windows also is a good way to keep cool air in and hot air out of the house.

Use a Programmable Thermostat

Set a temperature on your thermostat (maybe 78 degrees) and leave it there. The system will likely run less than if you were manually changing the temperature throughout the day, and it will keep your home cool.

Go Solar

This is a little more expensive than the other options listed above, but also the most effective. A modern solar system has the potential to save you thousands of dollars in energy costs over a year. Plus, Placer County has a solar incentive program for its residents. mPOWER is a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. The program offers financing for both residential and non-residential property owners in Placer County to make energy efficiency improvements, as well as solar and water conservation measures. PACE extends the ability for the financing to be repaid by adding annual installments to property tax bills. The federal government also offers an Investment Tax Credit in the form of a 30 percent credit for solar installations (both on residential and commercial properties).

Some homes in Placer County come with solar panels and a lot of other helpful energy-efficient upgrades. If you are looking for a new home in Placer County, contact us and we can help you out!

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