Skip the A/C and try these tips for keeping cool!

With the cool and wet spring we had in southern Ontario this year, many homeowners were able to keep the A/C turned off until at least mid-June. But now that the hot and humid days of summer have arrived, keeping cool at home has once again become a priority. If you're looking for ways to reduce the temperature in your home without blasting the central air, take a look at these tips:

Since the sun's powerful rays are very effective at heating up a structure, the first step is to consider how you can effectively block some of those rays and deflect some heat away from your home. A strategically placed awning, pergola or a few trees will block the sun from hitting your windows and doors 12 hours a day.

One of the easiest ways to keep the heat out is by closing blinds, drapes and shutters during the hottest part of the day. For those looking for a more permanent solution, exterior rolling shutters might be a good option. They are effective at helping to maintain a comfortable interior temperature, will reduce noise levels and also add an extra layer of your security to your home. The only downfall is price‚ good quality rolling shutters are expensive. "Double glazing" your windows can cut the intake of summer heat inside your home by as much as 30 per cent.

Using fans is another simple and inexpensive option for keeping cool at home. Lightweight and portable, fans have come so far in the past 20 years, style-wise, and are still an extremely effective way of keeping a room cool. Place fans in a few rooms throughout the main level of your home to keep air circulating. During the summer, ceiling fans should rotate counterclockwise to push cool air down. This evaporates perspiration, creates a cooling wind chill effect, and makes a room feel up to eight degrees cooler without changing the temperature in the room!

Still feeling the heat at home? Before you switch on the A/C, get rid of all the incandescent light bulbs in your home, barbecue as often as possible instead of turning on the oven, always use the bathroom fan to remove hot steam after showering and open the windows after the sun goes down to let in the cool evening breeze! (RMM)