By making a few adjustments, you and your home can stay cooler when the summer heat waves hit. Following are some tips from the Oregon Department of Energy.

Window shading

Install exterior window awnings or plant trees and shrubs to keep the direct sun from reaching your windows and heating your home. Exterior shading is more effective than interior shading.

Pre-cooling

At night, open skylights or upper story windows to let warm air out; open lower story windows to let the cool night air in. Close your windows and doors in the morning to keep the cool air in as long as possible.

Lighting

Turn off your lights whenever possible. Lighting, especially incandescent lighting, generates unwanted heat inside your home. Replace your standard incandescent light bulbs with cooler compact fluorescent bulbs to help reduce heat inside your home. While more expensive initially, compact fluorescent bulbs use approximately 70 percent less energy than standard light bulbs, put out less heat and last much longer.

Appliances

Operate your clothes washer, dryer and dishwasher in the evening so they don't add heat to the house during the day. Avoid baking and stove-top cooking during the day. Cook at night, use the barbecue or serve a salad and other cold dishes for meals.

Air conditioning

More than 30 percent of Oregon households have air conditioning. You can save energy by setting your thermostat at 78 degrees when you are home and at 85 degrees when you're away for extended periods of time. Service or tune-up air conditioning equipment annually. Have your system serviced and adjusted by a professional maintenance technician. Clean or replace filters monthly - or sooner if you cannot see light through the filter. Clean filters make it easier for the system to work, keeping its performance level high. If you have central air conditioning that is over 10 years old or a window air conditioner over eight years old, consider replacing it. Newer systems can be much more efficient.