Energy Saving, Heat Beating, Summer Cooling Tips
With the past few weeks, we’ve passed the 100 degrees mark and officially entered summer. Oh boy! Here in the Valley keeping cool is crucial so this time on the blog we put together a few things you can do to right now to keep the temps down and make the heat more bearable this summer.
Energy Saving, Heat Beating, Summer Cooling Tips
Keep Your Doors and Windows Closed
First thing first, limit the access the heat has to your home! You are staying inside to avoid the heat, why would you want to let it come in and join you? Make sure your windows are all closed and your doors aren’t open any longer than they have to be to bring in groceries, let out the dog, and what have you. Letting your cold air escape or the hot air to creep in also means your HVAC has to work double-time to get everything back under control, sending your energy bills skyrocketing.
Install the Right Window Coverings
Having the right coverings can go a long way to keeping your home cool. Windows are huge uninsulated spaces. It allows heat to transfer easily. But there is something you can do! Creating barriers and reducing heat flow! The two best types of window coverings for that are cellular shades and shutters!
Cellular Shades
Cellular shades are the best window coverings for insulation. Insulation is measured by its R-Value, cellular shades have an R-Value of 5.
Made to both manage light and block heat, the cell created by the fabric traps the warm air inside the blinds. When the window side heats up, the heat first transfers to those cells of air, moving through that first layer of fabric. Once the cell is fully heated, it then has to transfer through another layer of fabric, usually, this is enough to slow the flow of heat substantially and prevent the room from warming. Want to stop the heat from leaking through? Add a layer of fabric curtains or drapes to keep any excess blocked.
Shutters
Shutters are another good choice when it comes to blocking heat. Interior wood, composite, or plantation shutters all block heat flow. With shutters in place and closed, they block up to 45% of the heat coming through a window. That means a difference of up to 30 degrees! That’s nothing to sneeze at!
Find out more about the best shutters to block out the summer heat.
Get an A/C Tune-Up
When was the last time you had your HVAC system looked at? For many people, they only get their A/C looked at when it’s not working as it should and as soon as it’s fixed it’s forgotten until the next time it breaks down. It shouldn’t be that way! An A/C is just like any other machine we rely on, it works best when it’s maintained!
Call in a local HVAC repair team and get your A/C tuned up before it’s needed nonstop (and we’re almost there!
Stay Hydrated
Maybe the most important of them all, stay hydrated! Sweating is our body’s natural temperature management system, releasing sweat to put moisture on your skin, releasing body heat, and evaporating. For it to work correctly, your body needs that water to sweat out, so, whether you’re inside or out – drink up!
Whatever you do, stay safe out there! Take the proper precautions and you will make it through the summer in comfort.
