How to keep cool without being an energy hog

Summer's sweltering temperatures are here. That, however, does not have to translate to outrageous power bills.

During the oppressively hot, humid Michigan summers of my childhood we cooled off and had a blast running through a round sprinkler on our cement driveway. If we couldn't do that or go swimming, I used to fill the bathroom sink with cold tap water and soak the top of my head in it. Aaaah.

Our huge "whole house fan" up in the attic was wonderful. It sounded like it was going to take off through the roof. The powerful fan is relatively simple and inexpensive to run: it pulls in the cooler outdoor air through open windows and blows hot air through the attic to the outside. It definitely works, and consumes one-tenth the energy of an air conditioner. There are plenty of whole house fans on the market. One of many good websites is grainger.com

The folks at Mission Valley Power suggest using regular house and ceiling fans to move air through your home without greatly increasing power use. Also, common sense measures such as closing shades or drapes on the east, south and west facing windows during intense sun hours, and opening drapes and windows during early morning and overnight hours, work well.

There's a whole new generation of super-efficient fans called "air circulators" on the market. Small, portable air circulators move a lot of air in a "beam" and can provide the same cooling relief as a ceiling fan. These new fans also help heat a home during the winter months, like a ceiling fan does.

In our dry climate, good old "swamp coolers" or "evaporative coolers" work well by evaporating water in the air. The installation and operating cost of a swamp cooler can be much lower than air conditioning, often by about 80 percent.

I love to cool down with evaporating water in basic ways like putting on a soaking wet, cool bandana or hat for gardening, and flood-irrigating the garden so I can stand in the cold water as I pull weeds.

Taking a cool or lukewarm shower, then sitting under my ceiling fan makes me feel like a new woman during a scorcher. Sometimes I use my Rubbermaid stock tank (which I also call my "Poor Woman's Hot Tub") as a refreshing dunking tub on the deck, or relax in lukewarm water in it.

Then there's Flathead Lake: just before trying to sleep on a too-hot summer night, it's great to take a dip in its chilly waters and then sleep like a baby.

Additional tips for natural cooling include using shade trees, trellised vines, awnings and roof overhangs on the western and eastern sides of your home to reduce heat; adding light-colored or reflective roof and wall materials helps; and so does using energy-efficient indoor lighting and appliances, reducing the amount of indoor heat produced.

For those who insist on running air conditioners, here are ways to keep your energy bill down:
    • use an Energy Star air conditioner;
    • set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible (78 degrees is considered ideal, or even higher if you also use a ceiling fan);
    • don't reduce your thermostat setting to a colder temperature than normal when you turn on your air conditioner - it won't cool your home any faster and may result in excess cooling/energy waste;
    • if your house will be unoccupied for more than four hours, turn off the air conditioner;
    • install a digital, programmable thermostat (preferably an Energy Star thermostat, of course);
    • keep lamps, TVs and other heat-producing appliances away from thermostats;
    • don't block window air conditioners, keeping air flow path clear;
    • follow manufacturer's maintenance instructions for room and central units (inspect and clean blower wheels and condensation coils; clean or change the air filter at least once a month during the operating season);
    • seal gaps and cracks in your home and add insulation if needed (this helps reduce energy bills throughout the winter, too);
    • educate yourself on year-round home improvements to conserve energy: review the EPA's Guide to Energy-Efficient Heating and Cooling on the Energy Star web site www.energystar.gov/cooling or call 1-888-STAR-YES for a free copy.

According to the EPA, if just half of all American homes were cooled with Energy Star products, the change would prevent nearly 70 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the emissions of nearly six million cars.

That sounds extremely "cool" to me.