There are many ways to keep a home cool in the summer, and central air conditioning is only one of them.
Have you considered a whole house window fan? These units mount in windows and can successfully pull cool, dry air from outside into your home and exhaust the hot, humid air. In addition to many well-known brand names like Air King, the Eco Breeze unit is available that’s a more sophisticated way of accomplishing the same purpose.
Of course, if there’s no cool air outside to bring in, these kinds of machines don’t work well.
The same goes for attic fans. They can work better than window fans in some homes, but how well they work depends on what the air outside is like. Cool, dry air will feel great when you pull it into your home, but if it’s hot and humid outside — even at night — you may need a different solution.
While central HVAC systems cost thousands and involve complex ductwork and significant increases to your utility bill, you can also get some relief with one or more window air conditioners. These simple devices expel hot air outside your home while blowing refrigerated air into your home. They can sometimes be the best air cooling system for your home. You may need two or three to cool the whole house since the impact rarely reaches beyond the room in which a unit is installed.
Exactly how you cool your house is up to you, but it’s important to understand that you have options. If your home came equipped with a fully ducted HVAC system, use it. Then supplement with other systems when the need arises and in rooms where the HVAC system doesn’t work well.
If the components of your HVAC system break down, you’ll have to decide for yourself whether you can afford to replace them. And if there are hot spots in your home even when the AC is on, you may need some work done on your ducts.
You’ll have to decide how cool you want to be, then experiment a bit to get the results you desire.
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