Summer is coming. You might be ready to lounge on the beach and sip on iced tea, but is your house ready for the Southern heat? Just like you are getting ready to cruise through Summer (with a lot of water activities and cold drinks), your house also needs to get ready to accommodate your needs during the hotter months.

Your A/C Unit is Your Best Friend

As the temperatures soar and you start to tire of the southern heat, you will want to run to the comfort of your A/C unit. The last thing you need is a broken A/C unit at the peak of the hottest month of the year. To avoid this, replace your air filter every one to three months. A dirty air filter restricts airflow and affects the efficiency of your A/C unit. Saving on electricity costs in the summer can be as easy as replacing your air filter often.

Schedule an appointment with an HVAC specialist before summer. You should have your A/C unit inspected at least once a year to identify problems early and hopefully fix them before they break.

Check around the doors and windows around your house. Air leaks can reduce the efficiency of your air conditioning unit.

Insulating your home the right way will help ease your A/C use and make sure you stay cool and dry during the Summer. Attic insulation traps heat in and prevents it from entering through the ceiling, keeping the house at a nice temperature.

Prepare Your Yard

Unlike you, your grass, outdoor plants, and trees cannot run inside to bask in the fresh air of the A/C. Preparing your yard for the summer can help save your plants from dying.

Water your grass and plants in the early hours of the morning. This prevents evaporation. Be regular with mowing your lawn, so weeds don’t grow. Summer is also known as bug season so a mowed lawn will help keep the bugs at bay.

Add mulch to your flower beds, so the dirt doesn’t get too hot. Mulch also hinders the growth of weeds. If you have potted plants, move them out of direct sunlight and water them twice a day to keep them healthy. If you can. Plant year-round summer plants, so they can not only withstand the heat but also thrive.

A few more tips to keep your home cool during the summer are to keep your curtains, shades, and blinds closed during the day. This will help keep your home cool. If you have ceiling fans, turn them on to circulate the air around and ease the cooling weight off your A/C.

Adequate preparation will not only keep you comfortable during the hot months but will also help you save money on your electricity bills.