ENERGY

Does cracking your garage door keep your home cooler? Here's what experts say

Portrait of Raphael Romero Ruiz Raphael Romero Ruiz
Arizona Republic

The summertime in Arizona is typically accompanied by an increased electric bill for many seeking to combat the extreme heat. Homeowners and renters alike can get creative in their pursuit of keeping their spaces cool.

One solution some have come up with is to leave their garage door slightly cracked open. The idea is that the few inches of space allows their garages to vent, in turn helping to lower the temperature in the rest of the house.

But does this work?

Here's what to know about this summer myth and whether or not it actually keeps your house cooler.

Do you agree?Most Arizonans set their AC thermostat to this temperature

Does opening your garage door a crack on a hot day keep it any cooler?

Garages are not always the best-insulated spaces in a house, which can cause them to be much warmer than the rest of the home. Improving the insulation of an already existing building can be inaccessible for most — especially if you are renting.

So, people have instead resorted to improving the circulation of air in the garage space.

Garage door company D Bar Garage Doors affirmed some people's theories on the benefits of venting the garage space.

"Cracking the door will indeed benefit and alleviate the heat that builds up. But having a well-maintained, properly insulated garage should be your top priority," D Bar Garage Doors experts said.

Air circulation is not a one-to-one replacement to properly insulated spaces to combat the extreme heat in the summer. Ventilating your garage this way can also have other unintended safety consequences like break-ins and critters.

6 tips to keep your AC unit blowing cool

If you're looking to keep your home cooler, it's essential to keep your air conditioner in its best shape. Here are six easy tips to make sure it's running its coolest.

  1. Change the air filter
  2. Clean your vents
  3. Keep the area around the outside unit clean and unblocked
  4. Clean out the drain
  5. Clean off the coils
  6. Get your AC unit checked out by a professional