7. Go for a swim or take a cold shower
It may sound obvious, but it's worth saying: Cooling your body is as effective as cooling your room. One easy way to cool off is to immerse yourself in cold water. The immediate refreshment works immediately by cooling your core temperature. And unless there's 100% humidity, the evaporation of water off your skin will further cool you. For a short cut, use water and ice cubes to keep your wrists cool; since your blood vessels are so close the skin there, you'll feel cooler by applying cold directly to your blood. Check out these stunning natural swimming pools.

8. Get an annual checkup
If you have central air, consider an annual checkup – once should cover both the heating and the cooling season. A professional should be able to diagnose any inefficiencies before you've wasted money on monthly heating and cooling bills.
tree planting tips for energy savings

9. Plant a tree (or two or three) strategically
Your house gets hot because the sun beats down on it relentless on hot summer days. Let nature help reduce your energy bills by planting deciduous trees on the east and west sides of your home; in the summer, their broad leaves will shade your house, while in the winter, bare branches won't stop the sun's warmth from reaching your walls. Also consider planting trees or shrubs to shade high-heat areas – air conditioning units that emit heat, for instance, and driveways and walkways that absorb it.

10. Install attic insulation
While attic fans may or may not help significantly to cool your home, attic insulation can help a lot. Insulation keeps cooler air in your home from escaping through the ceiling. If you have central air, also seal ducts – especially at vents and registers, where you could be losing up to 20% of you cooled air. Do the work this year to take advantage of a tax credit covering up to 30% of the cost of insulation, up to $1,500.

11. Put up awnings
Just as window shades and shrubbery work to shield your home from the sun's rays, awnings can cut down on the heat your house absorbs. This is an investment to make if you like the look.

12. Think small
Cooling one room with a window air conditioning unit requires much less energy (and investment) than a central air system. If you're in the market for a new air conditioner, ask yourself how you'll use it, and choose the smallest option that works.

13. Buy Energy Star
Whether you're buying a central air conditioner (which could qualify for a tax credit worth 30% of the cost, up to $1,500) or a room unit, efficiency matters. An Energy Star central air system will use just 86% of the energy it takes to run a typical air conditioner that meats minimum government standards, and a room air conditioner will use 90% or less. Use the Energy Star Website before making a purchase, because while the vast majority of the 1,000-plus qualifying room units use 90% of the energy of a standard model, some are clearly a better value, using as little as 50%. Over the life of the air conditioner, that will result in significant savings, if you consider the potential of cutting a $375 annual bill in half, year after year. These nine models use 75% of less energy used by typical unit:

    * Turbo Air - TAS-09EH
    * Turbo Air - TAS-12EH
    * Turbo Air - TAS-18EH
    * Unionaire - RAC20A6HR
    * Friedrich - YS09L10
    * Unionaire - RAC24A6HR
    * Friedrich - YS10M10
    * Unionaire - RAC20A6CR
    * Unionaire - RAC20A6ER

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