Home Cooling Tips

Six strategies for keeping your home cool

Window air conditioners or central air aren't the only way to cool down a hot house. Check out these alternative solutions for making your house more comfortable.

• Cool down with a whole-house fan
• Portable air conditioners
• Mini-split system is cool and quiet
• In-wall AC unit stays put all year
• Move the cool air with a ventilator fan
• Increase the flow with a duct or a vent booster fan

Keep your home more comfortable this summer »

Save Energy and Cut Cooling Costs

10 sensible ways to save money and still keep cool

Staying cool is expensive. In a hot climate like Texas, the average family spends about $600 a year on cooling. In the Midwest, it’s about $300. But costs vary a lot within regions and even within a single neighborhood. Your home may cost $700 to keep cool while a similar home next door costs half that. This article will help you make your home the low-cost energy leader on the block. Our focus is on cutting cooling costs, but many of these tips will save you money on your heating too. We include up-front costs and payback for each of our tips, but the actual figures depend on your individual house, region, climate, living habits and electric rates.

Read all 10 now »

Air Leak Testing & Sealing

10 places to look to seal air leaks and save money

Check your dryer vent
If cold air comes in through your dryer vent, check outside where the vent goes through the wall. The vent should have a flap (or flaps) at the end to stop air infiltration. Make sure there’s a flap and that it’s not stuck open. If the flap works well, check the caulking. If it’s cracking and peeling away, it’s probably allowing cold air to leak in. Cut away the old caulking, make sure the vent is flush against the siding, and apply new latex caulk.

9 more places to stamp out air leaks »

Do you have a great tip to share?

We’re always looking for great tips and we’ll pay $100 for any we publish in The Family Handyman magazine. Submit your tip »