It is hot. I’m not referring to the market, but to the temperature outside! It’s usually hot here in much of the south – but in places like Chicago and Boston, where they are seeing higher than normal temperatures, air conditioners struggle to keep up. Energy costs are expected to soar and, to cap it all off, many states are expecting higher-than-average occurrences of periodic blackouts to preserve the power grid. Buckle up – it’s going to be a long hot summer.
SELLING IN THE HEAT
The last thing you want at an open house is sweaty home shoppers. They may question the size of the AC unit and whether the builder skimped on the unit. Greet anyone who comes through your door with an ice-cold water sitting in a bucket of ice. You will instantly create a bond with your customers. Keep the thermostat on 68 degrees – even if you must wear a sweater.
WINDOW TREATMENTS
Protecting against heat from the sun is paramount this time of year. If you have window treatments that can block the afternoon sun – they will pay dividends. I love the combination of the window shades and an overhead valance. When the shades are pulled up, they disappear. If you have mini blinds, be sure to close the ones on your west facing
windows in the afternoon.
CEILING FANS
Ceiling fans are great but are only effective when you’re in the room. They don’t lower the air temperature, but the air movement cools the skin. Make sure to turn them off when you’re not in the room because the motor will give off a small amount of heat.
LIGHTS
Turning off lights when there is nobody in the room will help keep it cooler. Perhaps you have one of the “all on” switches by your front door or can control them with an app. Turn off any unnecessary lights – especially if you have old incandescent light bulbs. An incandescent light produces 10% light and 90% heat. The new LED bulbs have a better light to heat ratio. Perhaps you should consider replacing incandescent with LED.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
If you happen to be working or playing outside, bring a small cooler full of ice and water. Sure – you should have bottles of water to stay hydrated, and maybe a cold beer to enjoy, but I’m most interested in the cold water in the cooler. Take a small hand towel and dunk it in the water. Then apply the ice cold, wet towel to the back of your neck. This has been a life-saver on an extremely hot day spent outdoors.
Adapted from Housing Design Matters Blog