Summer
Days When Hot
1. Turn on the air conditioner and set the temperature as desired.
2. Set the blinds as shown in Figure 1. This will allow light
to pass but not radiant heat.
3. Be sure that the doors and windows are kept closed. This
will keep the heat outdoors and the cool indoors.
4. Turn on the ceiling fans to the desired speed.
5. Use the floor fans as desired. It is suggested that one floor
fan be used to push cool air from the air conditioner into the
living space.
6. If it is still too warm, consider closing the main floor
bathroom and bedroom doors.
Summer
Nights
1. Generally, the temperature drops significantly during the
night. Therefore, turn off the air conditioner.
2. Open windows and allow cool air to enter the house.
3. Upon waking, monitor the outside temperature and close
the windows when it is no longer cooler outside than inside.
4. Continue by considering the suggestions under "Summer
Days When Hot" if needed to maintain a comfortable indoor
temperature. This will depend on the anticipated daytime high
temperature.
Winter
Days When Extremely Cold
1. Keep the doors and windows closed.
2. Open the blinds or set them so that maximum sun shines
through.
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3.
Set the furnace temperature as desired.
4. Turn on the ceiling fans to the desired speed.
5. Use the floor fans as needed.
Explanation of Passive Solar Design
Passive solar design was re-introduced during the energy crisis
of the 1970s. Passive solar heating involves the use of a
building's structure to capture and store the sun's radiant
energy without using mechanical or electrical devices. The
advantages of passive solar are many. However, operation requires
a small degree of manual control to manage daily heat gain
and nighttime heat loss. Note that heat gain can be significant
even on cloudy days.
Figure 1. Window blind shutter setting.
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