Tag Archives: air conditioning

5 Reasons to be Thankful it’s Winter

It seems like all anyone in the Midwest can think about this time of year is when spring will arrive. Now that it’s March, you might you might mistakenly expect spring to begin making its entrance. It might be happening other places, but it’s not happening here in the good old Midwest of the United States. It’s one thing to survive a long, cold winter as an adult. It’s another thing altogether trying to survive it with a baby. An adult can handle a long walk in 20-degree weather to maintain her sanity. A baby can’t. If you happen to … Continue reading →

How to Reduce Your Air Conditioning Cost

The cost of air conditioning can take lots of money out of your account. Each time you turn it on, you are draining money from your household. While few people can live without air conditioning these days, there are plenty of practical ways to reduce the cost of having air conditioning without suffering in the heat. If you have a central air system, consider shutting off vents for rooms that you don’t frequent often or can live without cool air. The basement might be a good example or perhaps bathrooms. Maybe you can close the vents in bedrooms during the … Continue reading →

How to Save Money on Cooling Costs

Yes, I know it is spring, but despite that, we are going through a little heat wave here in Pennsylvania with temperatures in the 80s and 90s. So while the heat was pumping through the house last week and the plastic is still covering some of the windows, we’ve had to scramble a bit to keep things cool. If you want to cut your cooling costs, there is no way around it other than to cut the heat, or at least the heat that you feel. The secret to spending less is to make yourself comfortable with less energy. Here … Continue reading →

Is Air Conditioning Harmful for Your Baby?

In the summer, especially in some parts of the world, air conditioning seems a necessity. Hot and humid temperatures make us all uncomfortable. But could turning on the air conditioning be harmful for your new baby? Could all of that cold air cause a chill or weaken her immune system? Could it cause Asthma later in life? Keep reading for the answers. Could Air Conditioning be Harming Your Baby? Two of my babies were summer babies. They were born in June and July and came home to a brick house that tended to retain the heat of the day. As … Continue reading →

When Do You Turn on Your Air Conditioning?

As I sit here battling a nasty respiratory infection, I am strangely thinking about air conditioning. Tomorrow, the weather person promises, will be 84 degrees and very humid. This is a little strange, since it was only a few weeks ago when the temperature outside was 40 degrees and the heat was turned on. My husband is busy taking care of the kids and dinner, and wondering when he should install our window units, which windows to install them in and where to start first. We may put in central air some day, which should make the whole process a … Continue reading →

Central Air Conditioning Units

Did you know that the size of the unit you choose to air condition your home is important? Probably, and most homeowners have a good idea what size is necessary to keep up with the demand for cooled air. The size can be determined fairly easily through measurements of BTUs or tons or the square footage of the home (one ton = 12,000 BTUs). However, did you also know that if you can’t find the “perfect” sized unit it is better to choose one a bit smaller than to get a central air unit that’s too large? I didn’t know … Continue reading →

Fur Coats and No Air Conditioning

We haven’t really needed air conditioning in the new apartment — things have been pretty mild this summer in the Portland, Oregon area. I’m not trying to gloat; I know things have been hot and humid around the rest of the country. All in all, we haven’t needed to worry about air conditioning. There have been a few days here and there that have passed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Today feels like it’s going to be a hot one. So how do we deal with the heat without having an air conditioner? Plenty of cool, fresh water. The drinking bowl is … Continue reading →

More Frugal Summer Cooling

In an earlier article, Frugal Summer Cooling, I shared some of the techniques we use to reduce our cooling costs. Now, I’ll share even more tips for staying cool. I’m old enough to remember back to the time when homes didn’t have air conditioners. Growing up in a brick apartment in New York City made for some pretty creative ways to stay cool in the summer. Most of these ways involved actually getting of the apartment to get cool. If you aren’t in your home, you don’t have to spend that time cooling it. For example, as a kid, we … Continue reading →

Frugal Summer Cooling

Now that the temperatures are getting hot, you might find that some of your money is burning up with all of that summer heat. This year, we have been able to reduce our summer cooling cost significantly. Last year, during the summer months, our electricity bill was more than $200. This year, so far we have managed to keep it under $86 a month. And, lest you think it has been a cool summer, let me tell you that we are already on our third heat wave. So how did we do it? Here are some of the strategies. One … Continue reading →

Staying Comfortable during a Heat Wave

While in some areas of the country the heat is beginning to die down, parts of the nation are still experiencing a heat wave. My local forecast predicts 106 today, and many other areas are still enduring sweltering heat. We discussed the main points of staying safe and helping others during a heat wave, but there are also a few tips to help you remain more comfortable. In extreme heat, or a combination of high temperatures and high humidity, your air conditioning might not be able to keep up. This is true for many homeowners, even those with central air … Continue reading →