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Tips to keep your home cool during heatwave

Temperatures will remain in the 90s for most of the week as a heatwave grips the East Coast.

NORFOLK, Va. — The temperatures will remain in the 90s for most of the week as a heatwave grips the East Coast.

We called the local heating and cooling experts over at Smith & Keene Electrical, Heating, Cooling, Plumbing for tips to keep your home cool.

  • An easy start is to draw your blinds if you have them. However, it probably won’t do much if they aren’t light-blocking shades. That’s key.
  • Check your attic and crawl space insulation. You’ll want at least 12-14 inches of insulation to keep the cool air in.
  • Check your thermostat. Most homes have thermostats set to auto, but on extremely hot days switching the fan setting to “on” will help with air circulation and hot spots around the house.
  • Change your air filters. It’s something you should do every month if you have more than one pet and every two to three months otherwise.
  • Have your HVAC system serviced twice a year -- once before the heating season and once before the cooling season. And when you do, specify to the technician you want your evaporator coils cleaned. These coils are a critical component of your system and keeping them cleared will extend the life of your HVAC unit.

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