As much as we may love the warm weather, it’s never good to have an uncomfortably hot home. While the blistering summer months are upon us, cool AC is a necessity to escape the outside heat and humidity. If you’re looking for some great tricks to maintain cool air during summer, we’ve got you covered with the top tips to keep your house cool in extreme heat.

— Install Soundproof Windows

Windows are one of the top ways heat enters and leaves a home. Surprisingly, in most homes almost 10-25% of thermal energy loss comes from windows. When it comes to maintaining cool air in your home, believe it or not, soundproof windows can have a significant impact on energy efficiency. Soundproof windows are designed with panes made of thicker, laminated glass that are placed over your windows, creating a stronger barrier that works to reduce heat transfer. That means the hot summer air is kept out of your home during the summer, and cool air is kept out of your house during the winter. For more information on how soundproof windows can help improve energy efficiency in your home, contact CitiQuiet, New York’s leading soundproof window provider.

— UV-Blocking Window Film

Another safeguard you can take against heat transfer through your windows is investing in IR and UV blocking film. This is a cost-effective solution for keeping out harmful UV rays and protecting your interior against sun damage and fading. To install this tinted window film yourself, you’ll need to buy a kit that includes the film, applicator spray, and squeegee. You can order and install this film yourself rather easy!

— Keep Your Blinds Closed

This may go without saying, but another way you can safeguard your home from heat is to keep your blinds closed, especially during the hottest hours of the day. Whenever you leave in the morning for work, just be sure to close your curtains or blinds so you can better maintain the internal temperature of your house or apartment, so it’s nice and cool when you get home.

— Blackout Curtains

If you are committed to keeping your blinds closed throughout the day, one thing that will help you keep out even more heat is blackout curtains. Blackout curtains are made of heavy-duty material that works to keep light and heat out of your room. During the winter, blackout curtains also help to keep warm air in the room. So, you will be able to save money on your energy expenses all year round. If you are a light sleeper, another benefit to blackout curtains is that they can help you sleep longer and sounder in the morning given their ability to block light.

— Ceiling Fan Rotation

Another tip that might surprise people is that the direction of your ceiling fan can have a huge impact on air flow in your house. During the summer, always be sure that your fan is turning counter-clockwise. Counter-clockwise direction will push cool air directly down and give you direct air flow. During the winter, it’s better to have your fan turn clockwise, because it can circulate warm air that rises and disperse across the entire room.

— Change Incandescent Light Bulbs

If you have incandescent lights in your home, replace them now! Incandescent light bulbs produce a lot of heat. In fact 90% of energy used from these light bulbs produces heat. Instead, consider replacing these with fluorescent bulbs. Not only will fluorescent bulbs work to keep your house cooler, they can save you a lot on your electric bill as well.

— Close Your Doors

If you live in an apartment or condo that doesn’t have central air flowing throughout you home, and instead have window units, then this tip is for you. Closing your door when you have a window AC unit will help to keep that cool air confined. This can be beneficial more at night, especially if you prefer colder sleeping conditions.

— Clean Your Air Filters

Dirty air filters are the top cause of AC breakdowns and also contribute to higher energy costs overall because the air conditioning unit has to work much harder. During the summer months, it is best practice to change central AC furnace filters monthly. If you have a window unit, there is typically a removable filter behind the air grille that you can take out and clean on a monthly basis as well.

— Use A Bowl of Ice

Another trick, for window AC unit owners especially, is to take a bowl of ice and place it by your unit. The air from the window unit will then bounce off the ice and instantly cool down the air even more. There is nothing better than cool, crisp refreshing air indoors during a hot summer day!