Planning My Schedule around Heat-Producing Activities
I really hate cooking in the summer, but it has to be done. But to keep my kitchen cool and save on my air conditioning bill, I’m going to grill outdoors as much as possible. Also, another creative way to plan my way around heat-producing activities is to do laundry at night when it’s not as hot (and during peak hours).

Making Use of My Programmable Thermostat
I have a programmable digital thermostat installed but to be honest, I have no idea how to use it properly! I just push the buttons to raise or lower the temperature. Since I’ve read that programmable thermostats can definitely save you money when used right, it’s about time I learned. One plan is to program it to raise the temperature by several degrees when I’m at work, back down again an hour before I get home and then up again right before bed.

Installing New Window Curtains
This isn’t just an excuse to redecorate, either! I plan on replacing the cheap plastic blinds that came with my apartment and replacing them with high insulation curtains that will keep most sunlight out of my home.

Supplement my AC with a Fan
Did you know that using fan in conjunction with your AC will keep the air moving in your home and make you feel cooler? Apparently both ceiling fans and window fans are great for this purpose. Ceiling fans should be set to low and window fans can be installed in north-facing windows to draw in cooler air.

I recently came across Air & Water‘s website, which I found to be perfect for what I was looking for. Not only did they have many air conditioners to choose from, but they also had an extremely useful air conditioner guide. I learned a LOT about air conditioners – stuff that I didn’t know before – but then I also learned that I would cool more comfortably with an evaporative cooler, since I live in an area with dry weather. As a result, I ended up reading the site’s swamp cooler guide as well.

Not only are the people at Air & Water well-informed, but they’re very patient and nice, too! I gave Air-N-Water a call to ask for suggestions, and I ended up finding the perfect cooler just 5 minutes later. So, I think I’ve learned the exact process when it comes to finding any kind of appliance!

I didn’t know what to do, so I went to Air & Water, the website from which I bought my Airpura air purifier, and spoke to a representative. She was extremely helpful. The Airnwater rep told me that I should get either a water purifier or a filtrating showerhead, both of which would definitely help me out. Water purifiers help right at the source of the water, making sure that every water outlet only produced the purest of water. Filtrating showerheads were basically just for removing chemicals in – you guessed it – the shower. So, I decided to go for a water purifier unit, even though it cost well over a few hundred.

Since I’ve started using the PURPG-12 UV water purifier, I’ve noticed a dramatic difference in both my water and my health. I feel so refreshed after every shower, every face wash. I think my skin and hair are even healthier than before! The strange smell is gone. Apparently the unit uses maximum UV exposure to get rid of harmful chemicals and germs in the water. It’s working great, and I’ve never been happier or healthier.

Dehumidifiers are great for removing humidity and moisture from the air. Many actually collect water from the air, so you have to empty it from a tank at the back of the unit. It gets annoying, but it is really worth the time and effort. When humidity levels are too high, you might experience severe allergies. Your home will suffer too, if you don’t take care of it! Mold growth, stains on ceilings/walls, and condensation on windows/mirrors are all effects of high humidity.

Humidifiers, on the other hand, are used to add moisture into the air. When the humidity levels are too low, you can experience chapped lips and skin, as well as respiratory problems. Your home won’t escape the effects of this either: you may find extreme damage to electronic equipment, your home, or your furnishings – or maybe all three!

If you need to find out just how bad your humidity levels are, simply buy a hygrometer or a humidistat – both of which can be found on air-n-water‘s website. Just make sure to keep humidity levels at about 30-50% during the summer and 30-40% during the winter. This keeps you (as well as your house) comfortable.