Central Texans Share Simple Life Hack To Keep Cool This Summer

As the temperatures keep rising in Central Texas, we are all trying our best to find ways to remain cool and safe.

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HOW CAN CENTRAL TEXAS BEAT THE HEAT THIS SUMMER?

This drastic heat has really taken a toll on our lives. Not only is it just stifling and uncomfortable, but it's driving up our energy bills at a time when budgets are tighter than usual because of inflation.

Central Texas residents are probably some of the most resourceful people that I know, and many have taken to a private page on social media to share handy tips on staying cool.

One of them caught my eye because it seemed silly at first, but people swear it works.

A HANDY LIFE HACK TO STAY COOL THIS SUMMER

Yes, people are recommending you do this simple thing - shade your outdoor A/C unit.

Now, just using a little yard umbrella like in the picture above may not do much to help your unit run more efficiently (though, again, some people swear by it), but there is a benefit to shading the area around the unit as much as you can, whether that's with an awning or with various shrubs or trees.

The folks at Cooper Climate Control have a handy article explaining how this can help keep the air around the unit cool so that it's not working as hard to cool the air itself.

Keep in mind that the outdoor unit is pulling in a lot of air from a wide area, so you'll want to shade as much of the land around it as possible. However, make sure you don't crowd the unit and prevent it from getting good airflow.

Shading the area around your A/C and, really, your entire home seems like common sense, but many of the new houses springing up around Central Texas don't yet have big trees around them to help with that mission, or neighborhood rules prevent such trees from even being planted. Maybe an umbrella or awning would help at least a little?

SHOULD WE TURN UP OUR THERMOSTATS?

ERCOT recently asked Texans to help them conserve energy by keeping their A/C thermostats cranked up and limiting use of appliances during peak consumption hours. Based on a lot of the feedback we've gotten, people aren't too keen on doing that. Many wonder if ERCOT officials follow their own advice, and what their plan is to meet the energy needs of Texas as more people move here.

It'd be nice if we could all help conserve energy and prevent the need for blackouts, but realistically, most people are just trying desperately to keep cool and aren't going to let ERCOT deter their normal use.

What do you think? Are you cranking up your A/C? Let us know using the Chat button in our free app.