How to Prepare Your Home for Summer Heat

Prepare your home for summer by servicing your air conditioning system, sealing air leaks, improving insulation, and using window treatments to block heat while ensuring proper ventilation throughout your house.

  1. Tune Your AC Before Heat Hits. Replace or clean air filters, check refrigerant levels, and clear debris from around outdoor units. Schedule a professional tune-up if your system is over three years old or hasn't been serviced recently. Clean the evaporator and condenser coils, and ensure all vents throughout your home are unobstructed.
  2. Stop Cool Air From Escaping. Apply weatherstripping to doors and windows where you feel drafts. Use caulk to seal gaps around window frames, door frames, and any penetrations in walls like electrical outlets or pipes. Check your attic hatch and basement doors for proper sealing as these are common sources of air leaks.
  3. Block the Sun Strategically. Hang light-colored curtains, blinds, or reflective window film on south and west-facing windows to block afternoon sun. Consider cellular shades which trap air and provide extra insulation. For maximum effectiveness, close window treatments during the hottest parts of the day and open them in the evening when temperatures drop.
  4. Let Heat Rise and Exit. Add insulation to your attic if current levels are below R-30. Install or clean soffit and ridge vents to allow hot air to escape and cool air to enter. Consider adding a whole-house fan or attic fan to pull hot air out of living spaces. Seal any gaps in the attic floor to prevent cool air from escaping upward.
  5. Channel Cool Air Through Home. Open windows on opposite sides of your home during cool evening and morning hours to create airflow. Use box fans in windows to pull cool air in and push hot air out. Install ceiling fans in frequently used rooms and ensure they rotate counterclockwise to push air downward and create a cooling effect.
  6. Optimize Shade and Airflow. Trim trees and bushes around your home's exterior to allow airflow but maintain shade over windows. Clean gutters to prevent water backup that can increase humidity. Consider planting shade trees on the south and west sides of your home for long-term cooling benefits.