Whether you're listening to the local meteorologist or consulting the Old Farmer's Almanac, you can probably guess that we're in for a pretty warm summer here in Olathe. Our winter was a whole lot milder than usual, and while spring has been pretty cool so far, the back half of summer is looking to be a scorcher here in the greater Kansas City area, where we know a thing or two about hot summers.

So what does the typical Olathe homeowner do when the mercury is on the rise? We crank up the air conditioning, of course! After all, nothing beats a finely-tuned air conditioner to keep the house cool on a hot July night. But running the AC nonstop also means higher energy bills, so besides getting your seasonal AC tune-ups or picking up a programmable, learning thermostat from a qualified thermostat installer, what can you do to keep cool all summer long without running up your energy bill? Here are a few tips from your friendly Olathe heating and cooling experts:

1. Use an electric fan to help create a cross-breeze. This will not only help circulate the air, it'll also provide a refreshing breeze to help you get to sleep on the hottest summer nights.
2. Speaking of sleep, switch out your regular bed sheets for lightweight, breathable cotton. (Wearing lightweight jammies to bed is also a good idea, rather than wearing the heavier stuff that helps you keep warm during the winter.)
3. Switch to another room in the house. If you're a fan of TV shows or books about old English manor houses, you may notice that they sometimes have "summer" bedrooms and "winter" ones. That's because some rooms in the house are naturally cooler than others. Because heat rises, rooms that are lower in the house are going to be cooler, while rooms on the north or east side of the home are less likely to catch all that late afternoon sunshine and the heat that comes with it.
4. Encourage everyone in the family to drink a cup of cold water before bedtime. That'll not only help you stay cool, it'll also help keep you hydrated.
5. Lights, ovens, and just about any electronic device produce heat, even in small quantities. So if you've got devices on that you don't need, shut 'em off during the summer months, and especially in the afternoons, to avoid heating up the house.

These are all great tips, but let's face it: during a Kansas summer, you're going to run the air conditioner at least some of the time. So how do you make sure that you're getting the most bang for your energy buck while also keeping your house as cool and comfy as possible? Two of the best things you can do are to ensure that you get seasonal AC tune-ups before the hot weather sets in and contact a programmable thermostat installer about a learning thermostat, such as the Nest system, which can actually learn your patterns and adjust your cooling to optimize comfort while also saving money. The good news is that you can do both by calling Davenport Service Company today at 913-441-2222!