No one is immune from above-normal temperatures this summer. Most regions of our country are facing daily temperatures of approximately 10 degrees higher than last year, and some states are finding themselves new members of the "Triple Digit Club" for the first time. What makes home owners even more weary than the heat, however, is high energy bills. They're higher than ever this year. It seems as if air conditioning units hum nonstop. But you don't have to resign yourself to emptying your savings account this summer in order to remain comfortable in your home.

"House Doctor" Thomas Kraeutler, a home inspector, former building contractor, and now president of New Jersey-based HomeChek Inc., has a few tips for how home owners can cool down their homes -- while cooling down their bill-induced tempers.

Central systems.

Some of us would kill for one of these. For those of you who own one, get it serviced if you haven't already. You'll be able to determine immediately, of course, if your unit is running low on Freon; your air conditioning will run 24 hours a day in a fruitless attempt to achieve the temperature on your dial. If you listen closely, you'll notice it's not the humming of your air conditioning unit you're hearing -- you're hearing the sound of your wallet emptying. So get your Freon checked -- even if you think there's plenty -- to prevent a late-night catastrophe later. Remember, your unit will only run out of Freon on a holiday, at 2 a.m., or when every serviceman in town is otherwise engaged.

A central air conditioning system in good working order should produce a temperature "differential" of 15 to 20 degrees between return and supply air. In other words, if the air being drawn into your system is 75 degrees, the air coming out of your system should be at least 60 degrees. If that's not the case, your unit probably is running low on refrigerant. Even if you think the temperature in your home feels comfortable, chances are good you're wasting electricity.

Following service, you can make sure your system staysin top working order by changing the filter at least once a month. It's not a big investment, either; filters cost an average of less than $1 apiece -- a small price to pay to stave off much greater expenses later. Keeping your system clog-free reduces the chance of a compressor break-down, which usually costs thousands of dollars of repair work.

Window units.

Air conditioners that sit in the windows don't need to be serviced every year, says Kraeutler. What's critical, however, is the installation of these units. That determines how well the unit will run and how long a life it will have.

Kraeutler advises home owners to install window units slightly downward toward the exterior; this angle will enable condensation trapped inside the air conditioner to drain out before it causes rust to the unit. Home owners also should check to make sure that the gap located between the half-open window and the window frame is fully insulated with foam. This insulation blocks the entry of two things you don't want anywhere near you or your family this summer: hot air from the outdoors and pesky insects. If your window unit has a three-prong plug, be sure that you connect it to a grounded receptacle; and should you decide to use a two-prong adapter, ensure that you properly connect the adapter's grounding tap to the outlet. You're not an electrician, you say? Call one if you're unsure about your installation. These units consume a lot of electricity, so it's important to hire a professional if necessary to make sure your unit is properly wired.

Once your air conditioning unit has been installed, the locks on your window won't work. To maintain security, create a stick that fits between the top of the sash and the upper window frame. This will hamper the entry of a curious burglar.

Storm windows.

Believe it or not, Kraeutler says, keeping your storm windows down when your air conditioning is on helps to keep your house cooler. Storm glass, he says, improves the thermal efficiency of your exterior windows and traps cool air inside. He adds that home owners should make sure that the bottom of their storm windows contain what he refers to as "weep" holes -- small openings that allow water to drain out of the inside of the storm window. This prevents trapped moisture from causing wooden windows to rot.

Room fans.

An interesting phenomenon called "evaporative cooling" is what enables us to feel cooler when we stand in front of a fan, even though the air emanating from that fan isn't any cooler than the air in the rest of the room. Evaporative cooling means that moving air causes the moisture lying on your skin to evaporate. When evaporation occurs, you feel cooler. So it's in your best interests to strategically position your fans for maximum air circulation, and if you're using a window fan, open another window across the room to create cross-ventilation.

Ceiling fans.

According to Kraeutler, paddle fans a popular version of the ceiling fan, are both costly and inefficient. These fans do, however, contain a reversible motor which allows users to control the direction of the blades. Paddle fans are able to pull cooler air up in the summer and push warmer air down during the winter. Placing these fans at the peak of cathedral ceilings, he adds, is a very effective means of recirculating warm air that would have been wasted during the winter. 'Whole house' fans.

These large-sized fans -- among the most low-cost and efficient varieties of fans -- are mounted in the ceiling of the top-most floor of your home. They "yank" air from open windows in the house, then channel that air into your attic, where it is released through enlarged vents to the exterior. You may control the air flow in your home based on the number and locations of open windows and the speed of the fan (these fans usually have multiple settings). Using a timer is a particularly energy- and cost-efficient strategy. The timer enables you to run your fan for the half-hour or hour that it takes you to fall asleep at night. When the timer's out, the fan switches off and won't run all night long when the temperature decreases.

Attic insulation.

It's not too early. It's actually a good idea to install your attic insulation in the summer, which prevents hot attic air temperatures from permeating your attic ceiling and making you uncomfortable in the process. Well-insulated homes, Kraeutler says, should have a minimum of 8 inches of ceiling insulation.

While it's easy to install insulation, make sure you cover any exposed skin first -- particularly crucial when you're using fiberglass. Wearing a dust mask will protect you from inhaling fiberglass particles, and wearning safety glasses to protect your eyes, as well. And while it goes without saying, it's well worth repeating that if you're installing insulation in your home during the summer, get a head start early in the morning so that you can quit long before the afternoon sun gets you hot and bothered.

Attic fans.

These fans, mounted on the roof, reduce the temperature of the warm air trapped in your attic -- thus keeping your home cooler, as well. A cooler attic means a cooler home, and ultimately, an air conditioning unit that doesn't have to work as hard to keep your home's temperature at a level that makes you comfortable. These relatively inexpensive fans are dependent on a thermostat which turns the fan on automatically whenever the attic temperature becomes hot.

Attic ventilation.

According to Kraeutler, a home owner's objective should be to keep his attic as drafty as possible. Well-ventilated attics, he says, should be as close to the ambient outside air temperature as possible. How does a home owner achieve this? By installing a combination of ridge and soffit vents. Ridge vents are mounted along the entire peak of your roof and help channel the passage of trapped warm air and moisture to the outside. Before this is possible, however, lower vents must be installed at the soffit, the belly of the roof overhang.

Once both vents have been installed, air is pushed into the soffits, travels upward to the underside of the roof sheathing, and then leaves your home at the ridge.

One of the primary advantages of this ventilation system, Kraeutler adds, is that they work throughout the year -- unlike attic fans, which run only in the summer and are more expensive to operate. Ridge and soffit vents, in contrast, work as a team to remove hot air from your home during the summer. In the winter, they remove trapped moisture, which causes insulation to become damp and energy-inefficient.

As with all energy-saving modifications, what amounts to a minimal expense now could save you thousands later. If you've grown tired of listening to the endless humming of your air conditioner, try out one of these strategies and see if you have to sit down the next time your energy bill arrives.

Published: July 6, 1998

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