Now that Memorial Day has come and gone, you’ve already likely dusted off your grill, gotten your backyard in order and are ready for summer fun. The weather is certainly warming up.
With the warmer weather and hot summer days just around the corner, now is the perfect time to be thinking about and preparing for ways to limit your energy use. Winter certainly isn’t the only time to be thinking about energy savings in your home. The final posts in this series can be found below and lists a few more ways you and your family can save energy this summer.
- Unplug electronics and appliances when they aren’t in use. While this can be a good tip for any time of the year, it’s becoming increasingly important as we live in a world with so many more electronics being used than ever before. These electronics and small appliances use a fairly large amount of energy if they are plugged in—even if they are turned off. This “phantom power” can cut out a bigger portion of your home’s energy use than you may think if things are unplugged when not in use.
- Install window shading around you home. In the hot summer days, keeping sunlight outside is one of the best ways to keep the inside of your home cool. You can install and draw window shades, use patio covers or awnings, or even solar window screens to keep the sun out. For long-term solutions, think about installing tall shrubs, trees or vines to provide a natural barrier. The sun can heat up the inside of the home extremely quickly when things start to warm up in the summer. Keeping it from getting inside will reduce the amount you have to use your air conditioner to keep things comfortable.
- Install a whole house fan. Speaking of reducing the amount you have to use your air conditioner, installing a whole house fan is one of the best ways to do just that. Typically installed in the attic of a home, these fans are a great way to draw the hot air out of your house and replace it with cooler air. Running these fans in the morning before the sun gets very hot and at night after the sun has gone down will allow you to resist the urge of flipping on that AC switch.
As always, we’re happy to help you stay cool this summer with our services and expertise. Here are just a few things our team can help you with during these warm days:
- Upgrade Insulation values in your home & ductwork; these can help to reduce how warm your home becomes, improving AC performance & help to reduce utility use year-round—not to mention the potential air quality benefits; these are also some of the best ways to get bang for your buck.
- Check air-conditioning ducts for proper insulation; Manufactures recommend our Annual services to ensure peak performance, safety & reliability.
- Install tinted or reflective film on windows (reducing solar heat-gain; to reflect heat back outside.)
- Install Exterior Awnings or Shading over large southern and western window surfaces- can reduce the heat that enters a home by up to 80 percent.
- Know the age of your system; if it is 10-15yrs old, prepare yourself, call us for a complimentary evaluation to assess what you’ll need when the time to replace does come.
- Weather-strip doors and sills to keep cool air in.
- Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades, awnings, or louvers.
- Install interior storms (like our Indow product line) windows up all year; & keep cool air in during summer & warmth in during winter.
- And much, much more!
Contact us directly if you’d like to chat about a personalized plan for your home when it comes to summer energy efficiency.
