Feeling stuffy?
Open windows and even doors during summer evenings and early
mornings to keep your house cool, and close them before the day heats up.
Natural
ventilation, taking advantage of breezes and lower temperatures to cool your home, can
save you money on home cooling costs when you also turn down the air conditioning
(not to mention helping you save energy). Natural ventilation is ideal for moderate or hot, dry
climates, and for areas with cool nights and breezes.
Opening windows on opposing sides of your
home—for instance, one on the side of the house with dominant winds, and one downwind—will
enable air flow through your house, so that warmer, stale air gets forced out (the kids call
this "natural cross-ventilation"). Air flow is additionally important to flush out
the indoor air pollutants that build up, particularly in newer homes that are so well
insulated they're practically airtight. So
fling open the windows at night and
rely
less on air conditioning—your hair looks better windswept, anyway.