I’m the type of person that prefers to be hot rather than cold.  Needless to say, I’m looking forward to summer.   I understand however, that the hot weather can be a challenge for a lot of people – especially if your house isn’t designed to cool rooms naturally.  Those warm, sunny days can mean over-heated apartments and hot sticky nights (remember those?).  Before you break out the AC unit this summer, think twice about what it means to be cool. U.S. power plants emit 140 million tons of carbon dioxide each year just to cover the energy used by home air conditioners!

Me personally, I’m more of a fan girl (I like to have the windows open and hear the sounds of summer outside my window).  An Energy Star fan will burn 90 percent less electricity than AC.  But if a fan just won’t do it for you, here are some suggestions on staying cool:

• Room air conditioners can be cost-effective options when only cooling certain rooms at a time. Be sure to choose a system with an Energy Efficiency Ratio of at least 10, and check an air conditioning sizing calculator to find out how big or small your unit should be, in order to be most efficient.

• If you have a large space, and can afford the installation cost, Central Air is more efficient because it can reach more rooms at once, and cooled rooms aren’t constantly transferring cooled air to non-cooled rooms.  Closing blinds on the east and west sides of your house and turning off the Central Air when you’ll be gone for a long while will also help boost efficiency.

• Architectural and landscape features can also help economize your staying cool this summer.  Roof overhangs, awnings, and nearby deciduous trees can reduce the sun exposure and the heating of rooms.

• Rethink room temperature – For every degree above 78 degrees Fahrenheit, you can reduce your cooling costs by 6 to 8 percent.

• For those living in dry, hot climates, consider an evaporative cooler. They cost less to install and run than AC, require less maintenance, and use 75% less energy than AC. But, they can require between 3.5 and 10.5 gallons of water per hour, which decreases their attractiveness from a resources standpoint (and less attractive to your wallet, especially in areas where water is at a premium.)

• Give your AC a break – prevent heat sources from warming the rooms in your house.  Try installing home insulation, closing doors, keeping shades drawn where the sun shines in, choose energy-efficient lights, and limit the time you run the oven, dishwasher, and dryer during peak sun hours.