Although many people seek to reside in larger residences, there’s a lot to be said for smaller living spaces. This is particularly apparent when it comes to utility costs. Unsurprisingly, a lot more money is required to heat, cool and provide water and electricity to a house than an apartment. However, this isn’t to say that apartment residents shouldn’t make an effort to save money in this department. For example, throughout the swelteringly hot summer months, you may be tempted to switch on the AC whenever your pad starts to get warm. While a good air conditioner can cool off your pad in a timely and efficient manner, there are a number of cost-effective alternatives that all apartment residents should become familiar with.
Put Your Ceiling Fans to Good Use
As anyone who’s lived without air conditioning can attest, ceiling fans can be invaluable cooling tools throughout the summer months – provided, of course, they’re properly utilized. For starters, ceiling fans can be used to circulate cool air throughout your apartment. So, if you feel like taking advantage of a cool breeze from outdoors, simply open your windows and let your fans take care of the rest. Secondly, unbeknownst to many of us, ceiling fans can also create cool breezes independently of air conditioners or help from Mother Nature. By setting your fan blades to rotate counterclockwise, you’ll enable your fans to produce refreshing breezes that blow directly downward.
If you don’t think your current ceiling fans are up to the task of getting you through the summer, there’s no time like the present to look into upgrading. If you’re renting, there’s a good chance your landlord is required to provide you with new fans if your existing ones are broken, ineffective or out of date. However, if you own your apartment, you’ll be the one responsible for procuring replacement fans. Fortunately, high-quality ceiling fans are affordable on virtually any budget, so getting your hands on some new ones shouldn’t put much of a strain on your finances. Additionally, since fans come in an extensive array of sizes, finding ones that are perfectly-suited to your apartment should prove fairly easy. For example, if you don’t have much to spare in terms of ceiling space, keep an eye out for a good low profile ceiling fan.
Take Advantage of Cool Outdoor Temps
If the summertime temps in your area have a tendency to cool down overnight, why not use this to your advantage? Once the sun goes down, simply open your windows and allow your ceiling fans to circulate the naturally cool air all around your apartment. When it comes to natural cooling methods, they don’t get much more effective than this.
Use Your Oven Sparingly
Using your oven stands to increase the temperature in your apartment. Throughout the frosty winter months, this can sometimes be a plus, but in the dead of summer, it can be downright uncomfortable. To nip this problem in the bud, abstain from using your oven during daylight hours whenever possible and take care to turn on your exhaust fan whenever you do use it. Rather than regarding this as an inconvenience, you should use it as an opportunity to try out new recipes that don’t require the use of an oven. Furthermore, if your apartment complex allows outdoor grilling, this may be the perfect excuse to experiment with grill-based meals.
Cover Your Windows
Since the blazing summer sun stands to increase the temperature in your apartment, you’d be wise to cover your windows with specialized sun-blocking tools. Blackout curtains can keep indoor sunlight to a bare minimum and help seal in cool temps. Conversely, while less effective and resilient, stick-on blackout screens can get the job done in a pinch.
Even though many people are taught to aspire to homeownership, the perks of apartment living are hard to deny. For one thing, lower utility costs can help renters save a small fortune during periods of extreme weather, most notably summertime. Even without air conditioning, keeping a small living space consistently cool can be a reasonably simple undertaking. So, whether you’re looking to save on cooling bills or your apartment lacks AC altogether, the previously discussed pointers are sure to come in handy.
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