10 Tips For Keeping Your House Cool in the South During the Summer

Publish date

April 30, 2026

Reading time

11 min read

In this blog:

Southern homeowners can beat intense summer heat and humidity by pairing smart everyday habits with energy-efficient home upgrades.

• Upgrading to energy-efficient replacement windows blocks heat-generating UV rays, maintaining cooler interior temperatures and lowering monthly electric bills.
• Optimizing airflow, by utilizing energy-saving DC fans, cleaning HVAC air filters, and setting ceiling fans to spin counter-clockwise, creates a noticeable cooling breeze.
• Simple daily adjustments, such as closing blinds during peak afternoon sun, sealing doors to isolate unused spaces, and switching heat-emitting incandescent bulbs to LEDs, significantly reduce indoor heat buildup.
• Managing moisture with a programmable dehumidifier pulls heavy humidity from the air, making living areas feel cooler and less stuffy throughout the day.

There are plenty of fun things that you can do during summer in the south due to those wonderfully warm temperatures. However, having your home turn into a sauna doesn’t have to be on that list.

Window World of Central Alabama’s team of window and door replacement experts compiled a list of ways to make sure your home stays cool during the summer months. With our knowledge in home improvement and energy efficiency, we know steps you can take to lower the temperature without raising your electricity bill. Read on to learn a few ways to keep your house cool during those hot Birmingham summers.

Best Ways to Keep Your House Cool

Alabama arguably has some of the hottest summers in the country. The morning temperature starts at about 70 degrees and climbs to about 90 degrees by midday. So, how can you start your day off right with cool temperatures throughout your house?

Here are some of the best strategies to keep your house comfortable during those humid days:

1. Invest in Energy-Efficient Windows For Your Home

Window World energy-efficient windows are one of the best ways to keep your house cool in extreme heat since they prevent heat-producing UV rays from entering your home. As an added benefit, energy-efficient windows can help you save on your monthly energy bill. We have styles for every room in your home, including our most popular style, the double-hung window.

2. Utilize Fans

Fans use significantly less energy than regular AC units. To increase the airflow in a room with poor air circulation, try running a fan in the room during the hottest parts of the day. Be sure to buy a DC fan instead of an AC fan because DC fans are more energy efficient.

Don’t worry about the fan running up your electric bills. You can run an AC fan throughout the day without seeing a significant increase on your energy bill. If you limit your fan usage to the hottest parts of the day, this could be a great way to save money and keep your house cool.

3. Close Doors and Seal Any Gaps

Closing your doors, whether an entry door or interior doors, can help cool your home by sealing off unused portions of the house. It can be tempting to leave doors open, whether it’s your interior or a sliding patio door, but in order to reduce the time needed to cool down the home after exposure to that Alabama summer air, it’s best to keep them closed.

4. Install a Dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers can help control the amount of moisture in the air, reducing humidity and increasing airflow. Energy Star recommends buying a dehumidifier with a humidistat. That way, you can program your preferred humidity level and let the system auto-regulate the room. You can find dehumidifiers in various sizes to provide enough support for the space.

5. Close Your Blinds in the Afternoon

When the sun shines through your windows, it can increase your room temperature if you don’t have energy-efficient windows. To mitigate this effect, try closing your blinds during the hottest parts of the day so that you can reduce any extra heat. If you need to increase the amount of light in the room, try adding a few LED light bulbs to brighten the space without raising your bill.

6. Clean Your Air Filters

According to the EPA, air filters can improve ventilation in a room. To get the best results from your air filter, clean the filter as needed during the summer to ensure that the air filter works properly.

Also, air filters could help the room feel less stuffy and make it easier to breathe in the space. Although this does not impact the temperature directly, this can make the room feel more comfortable.

7. Block Heat From Entering

Stopping the heat from sunlight, whether through curtains or blinds or with sunlight-loving plants, can help your HVAC system regulate the amount of energy used when cooling the house. During the hottest part of the day, keep windows covered in parts of the house with poor airflow.

8. Adjust the Ceiling Fans

While the ceiling fan might push the hot air around, you can adjust the ceiling fan to rotate counter-clockwise to help reduce the amount of heat you feel. By switching the direction the fan is rotating, you can create a cooling effect, forcing cooler air down and warmer air up to the top of the room. Ceiling fans are also great options for use in conjunction with other methods on this list.

9. Hang Outside During the Evenings

While the summer days can be nice, it may be beneficial to try spending time outside during the evening when the heat of the day begins to cool. The evening is also a good time to crack open windows and doors to ventilate the home. Just make sure that you reseal them before morning comes back around.

10. Change Your Lightbulbs

Changing your lightbulbs may make a bigger difference than you’d think! Incandescent lightbulbs may be adding a significant heat source around your home, since they produce a lot of heat output. By switching them out for modern energy-efficient lightbulbs like LED bulbs, you could decrease the temperature while also saving on your energy bill.

Want to Get a Head Start on Making Your Home Energy-Efficient This Summer?

If you’re looking for energy-efficient windows in the Birmingham area, look no further than Window World of Central Alabama! We offer a wide range of energy-efficient products to keep your house greener and cooler. Contact us today to request your free consultation.