It’s been a cold & miserable winter this year in NYC. Thankfully summer is finally upon us, which also means something else…..we’re just a few weeks away from people complaining about how hot is. Sometimes you just can’t win.
In the wonder of summer, all I think about are mojitos and escaping to the beach. Not just because my winter “tan” has me looking like Casper with a malnutrition problem, but also because I like to tell myself I’m more active than I am. For 90% of my day, I sit in front of a computer & the only thing more important than my break for lunch is the instantaneous gratification of an AC unit.
Our boss loves it when we crank it down to resemble the Arctic. No, he’s never outright said that but I have a pretty good instinct for these things. Saying that, for kicks & in the spirit of cutting costs (because I’m hoping for a raise), let’s go through a few tips to save some money this season on everything from air conditioning to bbq to your pesky bug problems.
What the AC?
The rule of thumb is 20BTU (yea…I said that like it’s an acronym I’m comfortable with) for every square foot. So for smaller spaces, window units can be particularly effective. With a 400sqft space, you would need an 8000BTU air conditioning unit. If you cheap out and get something with less power, you’re working against yourself. Also, make sure you look for the “Energy Star” compliant units and keep the filters cleaned.
With larger spaces or multiple rooms, central air is the obvious winner. Not only will it help cool your space, but it will also help to control humidity and air pollutants. Particularly important in our office because Ken has a thing for egg sandwiches & frankly I can’t think of anything that pollutes the air more than that.
Saving money with smart air conditioning setup can also open the door for tax credits. Homeowners are eligible for a 30% tax credit by installing energy efficient central units which means more money for those Saturday BBq’s.
It’s BBQ Season
First thing’s first, don’t get suckered into the seasonable marketing hype. Pizza stones, rotisserie burners, and infrared technology don’t necessarily get you anything other than a high price tag when it comes to grills. For the basics (and for what counts), look at surface area of the grill, and make sure you buy one that can cook across a range of temperatures. Without that, your fish is going to be about as tasty as asphalt.
But how much should you pay for a good grill? While burners can span quite a range in cost, there are some great options under 200.00 that you should consider. To get you started, we recommend checking out here
What bugs you
Summer is awesome…. bugs, not so much. To celebrate the gift that keeps breeding, we have gathered a couple of quick tips to help you battle the inevitable onslaught in store for you this season – all without the need for expensive pesticides.
Ants can be quite persistent once they find a source of food. The natural solve to this is surprisingly bay leaves. Scatter a few fresh ones around, and they’ll run like it’s dooms day. If spiders are your problem, mix a little water with peppermint and spray around the windows/wherever you find them. They hate the smell and even better this mixture has the added benefit of repelling mice/rats. Spray under the sink and around the floorboards to keep the intruders at bay.
For more tips like these and many more, watch the videos rotating above!