While high-efficiency air conditioners and programmable thermostats help, they aren’t the only ways to save on cooling costs. There’s a lot you can do to keep our area’s summer heat out of your home so you can raise your thermostat setting and save energy, yet still feel just as cool.
- Air seal and insulate — Air leaks around doors and windows let in hot, humid air along with contaminants such as dust and pollen. Using caulk and weatherstripping to seal these leaks improves your home’s energy efficiency and indoor air quality. After this, consider increasing the insulation level in your attic and walls. On a warm day, the attic temperature can easily surpass 100 degrees. Sufficient attic insulation is critical for keeping this heat out of your living space.
- Shade your windows — Drapes with thermal or white-plastic linings can reduce heat gain through your windows by around a third, and reflective blinds can reduce it by nearly half. Outside, installing a horizontal trellis with a fast-growing vine is an attractive way to shade east- and west-facing windows.
- Boost airflow — Running a ceiling fan will make you feel around 4 degrees cooler. By using ceiling fans along with your air conditioner, you can lower your thermostat temperature to save on cooling costs yet still feel just as comfortable.
- Upgrade your appliances — Older, inefficient refrigerators and other appliances waste energy in the form of excess heat. In summer, that’s heat you’ll have to use your A/C to get rid of. Consider upgrading any appliance that’s more than 10 years old. The appliance itself will use less energy and heat up your home less.
- Improve your exterior — For your exterior walls, choose light-colored paint or “cool” siding designed to reflect heat away from your house. On your roof, apply a low-e insulating roof coating or a “cool roof” coating with a reflective pigment.
For more smart ways to save on cooling costs or for help with your heating and cooling equipment, contact us at Bradbury Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning. We proudly serve Conroe, Montgomery, Shenandoah, Spring, The Woodlands and all the surrounding areas.
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