Born n’ Raised in Texas? Tips to Overcome Texas Heat Struggles

Hot summers in Texas can be hard to deal with even when going from your home to the car and to work or running errands. Even while you are at home, your air conditioning can struggle while attempting to keep your house cooled. For those of us that grew up in Texas, we have learned several ways to combat the heat, while still being able to enjoy the longer summer days.

Indoor Cooling Tips

1. Have you air conditioned serviced by our AC company. No one wants to come home to a 90+ degree home after a long day of work and discover their air conditioning stopped working. With regular maintenance plans, we can help prevent unexpected breakdowns on those 100+ degree heat index days.
2. Keep blinds and drapes closed. Glass windows will heat up and transfer heat indoors. You can block out this heat by keeping the blinds down and even better, close the drapes, too.
3. Turn on your ceiling fans. Ceiling fans set to the counter-clockwise direction will force cool air up from the floor, allowing you to set your thermostat a few degrees higher, yet remain cool. Plus, if you are sitting underneath the fan, the air will make your skin feel cooler.
4. Add insulation to your attic. Most attics do not have sufficient insulation resulting in a loss of cooled air. Increasing the insulation will help keep the upper levels of your home cooler.
5. Use light colored roofing materials or paint your roof. Another source of heat transfer is the roof on your home. This is why so many homes use lightly colored roofing materials. If you have darker shingles, you can paint them with a light colored roofing paint to reflect the heat away from the home.

Outdoor Cooling Tips

1. To stop your car from becoming an inferno, try to park in covered or shaded areas.
2. Always use a sunshade over the windshield.
3. When opening the car door, allow the hot air to escape before getting in.
4. Roll down the windows when turning on the car’s AC as this will help force the hot air out and cool things down faster.
5. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
6. Wear sunscreen and reapply often, even if you are only outside for ten to fifteen minutes.
7. Wear sunglasses with UV blockers to protect your eyes.
8. Limit your time outdoors, if possible to thirty to sixty minute intervals with cool down periods indoors.
9. Never take pets or small children outside on extremely hot days.
10. Look for indoor activities to do, like seeing a movie, museums, play parks, skating rinks, or bowling alleys.

You may want to avoid pools and water parks extremely hot 90+ days because that water will be warm and not do much to cool your down. To ensure your home’s cooling system is working at peak efficiencies all summer long, remember to call your nearest Christianson Air Conditioning & Plumbing location today!