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As summer heats up, air conditioning bills can rapidly rise. As homeowners feel the heat, many are looking for ways to save and stay cool.
Try these inexpensive, easy ways to help keep your house cool.
* Provide shade for east and west windows.
* When possible, delay heat-generating activities like baking or dishwashing until the evening on hot days.
* Use ceiling fans to circulate air to help make the house more comfortable without over-using the air conditioning.
* Seal air conditioning ducts and insulate ducts that run through unheated basements, crawl spaces and attics.
* Install white window shades or mini-blinds. Mini-blinds can reduce solar heat gain by 40 to 50 percent, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
-- ARA
