Summers in Arizona are brutal. When temperatures climb into the triple digits, the elements really go to work on our exteriors. And while some SPF 100 won’t help your home (though we HIGHLY recommend using it on your skin. Sunburn = ouch!) There needn’t be any worry if you adequately prepare your home.
That being said, there are also numerous home design tricks and tips to save money and avoid being hot and sweaty!
Eat Fresh: When preparing a meal for your family or entertaining guests, avoid sweating and slaving all day by foregoing traditional baked or broiled dishes with fresher, cooler (temperature) and easier-to-prepare fare. Keep the heat outside by grilling all meats or items that might normally require an oven.
Monsoon season: Monsoon rainstorms are perhaps one of the most welcome parts of any Arizona summer. The heavy-rains and beautiful lightning shows provide an escape to the otherwise unbearable (almost) dry heat. BUT, your backyard home design needs a little prep when you see clouds on the horizon. Cover your pool, move any furniture to the garage or indoors and make sure anything you don’t want blowing away is tied down. As monsoons sometimes include giant dust storms, make sure to keep tabs on open windows.
Be Efficient: By running the bathroom exhaust fan during showers you can cut down on warm, wet, muggy air leaving the bathroom and infiltrating the rest of your home. Switch to compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. This will save energy (re: money) and they put off less heat than incandescent bulbs.
Last but not least make sure to replace the filter on your air conditioner regularly to keep it working at optimal performance!
Do you have any tips for staying cool during our hot Tucson summers? Let us know in the comments below.