About 15 percent of homes in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area have central air conditioning, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That leaves the majority of Puget Sound residents attempting to cool their homes by other means.
As Seattle approaches its hottest day in two years, Seattle City Light advises the following:
- Replace your incandescent light bulbs: Incandescent bulbs emit heat when turned on. Energy-efficient bulbs are much cooler.
- Shut windows and close shades during the day: If the air outside is warmer than inside, the warm air will travel in through any opening. When the temperature outside cools down at night, you can open windows to cool the indoor temperature.
- Make sure your fans are pushing air down: For most manufactured fans, this means making sure they're turning counter-clockwise. Fans only cool people down; they do not change the air temperature of a room.
- Invest in better insulation: This helps both in cold winters and hot summers.
HomeWise, a city of Seattle program, upgrades homes owned by families with low income.
The upgrades often include improving insulation, replacing heating systems and sealing doors and windows. The effect creates a more stable temperature inside.
A family of four making under $4,251 in a gas- or oil-heated home would qualify, and the same family making less than $5,775 in an electric heated home would also qualify.
Annie May Slade, an 86-year-old woman in Seattle’s Central District, received this assistance and now spends far less on her utility bills. The Seattle Office of Housing said a typical family can save at least $300 on utility bills every year by making these changes.
“The whole basement was insulated all the way through,” Slade said.
They also sealed her windows and cracks in her doors.
Before this upgrade, Slade said summers were “hot. It was really, really bad.”
Slade has asthma and is currently battling cancer for a second time. So keeping her home cool is important for her health. She said she no longer has to use her portable air conditioning unit. She only keeps one fan on in the room she’s occupying.
Cox Media Group
