Hot Weather Home Tips: How to Keep Your Home Cool During 90°+ Days
Smart Summer Maintenance Every Homeowner Should Know
When Central Indiana temperatures climb into the 90s—and the humidity makes it feel even hotter—your home works overtime to keep your family comfortable. Unfortunately, those extreme temperatures also put extra stress on your HVAC system, plumbing, landscaping, and even your utility bills.
Whether you've owned your home for years or just moved in, a little preventative maintenance can save hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars in repairs while helping your air conditioner run more efficiently.
Here are my favorite hot-weather home tips to help your home beat the heat this summer.
☀️ 1. Replace or Clean Your HVAC Air Filter
This is the easiest—and most overlooked—maintenance item.
A dirty filter restricts airflow, forcing your HVAC system to work much harder to cool your home.
How Often?
- Every 30–60 days during summer
- Every 30 days if you have pets
- Every 90 days for vacation homes or low-use properties
Bonus Tip: Hold the filter up to the light. If you can't see through it, it's time to replace it.
🌬️ 2. Make Sure Your Air Vents Are Open
Many homeowners accidentally block airflow.
Walk through your home and check that vents aren't covered by:
- Furniture
- Rugs
- Curtains
- Storage bins
- Pet beds
Closing vents in unused rooms rarely saves money and can actually create unnecessary pressure in your HVAC system.
🌳 3. Give Your Outdoor HVAC Unit Some Space
Your outside condenser needs room to breathe.
Check For:
- Weeds
- Grass clippings
- Shrubs
- Mulch piled against the unit
- Cottonwood fluff
- Leaves
Leave at least 2 feet of clearance around the unit.
🚿 4. Gently Wash Your Outdoor HVAC Unit
Dust, pollen, cottonwood seeds, and grass clippings stick to the condenser coils all summer.
Easy Cleaning:
- Turn off power to the unit.
- Spray gently with a garden hose from the inside out if possible.
- Never use a pressure washer.
Clean coils allow your air conditioner to cool much more efficiently.
🌡️ 5. Don't Set Your Thermostat Too Low
When it's 95° outside, your air conditioner isn't designed to cool your house to 62°.
A realistic setting is usually:
- 72–76° when home
- 78° when away
Lowering the thermostat doesn't cool the house faster—it simply keeps the system running longer.
☀️ 6. Keep the Sun Out
Windows create a surprising amount of heat.
During the hottest part of the day:
- Close blinds
- Pull curtains
- Use blackout curtains in sunny rooms
- Close shades on west-facing windows
This simple habit can noticeably reduce indoor temperatures.
💧 7. Protect Your Garden Hose
A garden hose sitting in direct sunlight can become extremely hot.
Before watering:
- Let the water run for 30–60 seconds.
- Never spray pets or children immediately after turning it on.
- Drain the hose after use to extend its life.
Pro Tip: Store hoses in the shade whenever possible.
🌱 8. Water Your Lawn the Smart Way
Timing matters.
The best time to water:
✅ Early morning (before 9 a.m.)
Avoid:
❌ Mid-afternoon (water evaporates quickly)
❌ Late evening (can encourage lawn disease)
Deep watering a few times a week is better than light watering every day.
🚪 9. Check Your Weather Stripping
Cool air escaping around doors and windows means higher electric bills.
Look for:
- Cracked weather stripping
- Daylight around doors
- Loose door sweeps
- Drafty windows
Replacing weather stripping is inexpensive and often takes less than an hour.
💡 10. Use Ceiling Fans Correctly
Did you know ceiling fans have a summer setting?
During summer:
- Fans should rotate counterclockwise.
- This pushes cool air downward.
Remember: Fans cool people, not rooms. Turn them off when you leave to save energy.
🧊 11. Don't Forget Your Refrigerator
Your refrigerator works harder during hot weather too.
Help it out by:
- Vacuuming dust from the coils (if accessible)
- Checking door seals
- Keeping it reasonably full
- Avoiding frequent door openings
A well-maintained refrigerator runs more efficiently and lasts longer.
💦 12. Watch for Heat-Stressed Plumbing
Extreme heat can affect outdoor plumbing.
Inspect:
- Outdoor faucets
- Hose bibs
- Irrigation systems
- Sprinkler heads
Small leaks waste a surprising amount of water and can increase your utility bill.
🔥 13. Grill Safely - Safety tips
Summer grilling is one of the best parts of the season—but safety comes first.
Remember to:
- Keep grills at least 10 feet from your home.
- Clean grease buildup regularly.
- Check propane hoses for cracks or leaks.
- Never grill inside a garage or under an overhang.
⚡ 14. Prepare for Summer Storms
Hot weather often brings strong thunderstorms.
Keep ready:
- Flashlights
- Fresh batteries
- Portable phone chargers
- Bottled water
- A battery-powered weather radio
If you have a sump pump, consider a battery backup in case of power outages.
🌸 15. Help Your Landscaping Survive the Heat
Heat stresses plants just like it stresses people.
Add 2–3 inches of mulch around:
- Flower beds
- Trees
- Shrubs
Mulch helps:
- Retain moisture
- Keep roots cooler
- Reduce weeds
- Lower watering needs
Just remember to keep mulch a few inches away from tree trunks and your home's foundation.
🌡️ Bonus Tip: Know What's Normal for Your Air Conditioner
Many homeowners think something is wrong when their AC runs most of the afternoon.
On extremely hot days:
- It's normal for your system to run longer.
- Most systems are designed to maintain an indoor temperature about 20° cooler than the outdoor temperature.
If your home won't cool below 80° despite continuous operation, it may be time to call an HVAC professional.
Keep Your Cool All Summer Long
Summer in Indiana is meant for backyard barbecues, pool days, and evenings on the patio—not unexpected HVAC repairs. By taking a few simple preventative steps, you can help your home stay cooler, reduce energy costs, and extend the life of some of your home's most expensive systems.
Homeownership is more than buying a house—it's learning how to care for it through every season. I enjoy sharing practical homeowner tips like these to help our Greenwood and Central Indiana neighbors protect their investment and enjoy their homes for years to come.
Stay cool, stay hydrated, and enjoy the rest of your summer!
