With summer on the way and temperatures set to break records yet again, no has never been a better time to fit your house out so that it cools you down. Energy bills are on the rise across America, with increases of around 3.9% recorded last year.
This means that, if you stick with blasting the AC all summer, you could find yourself hundreds of dollars out of pocket.
Instead, you can opt for cheap ways to keep your house cool that do not involve having to use any electricity whatsoever. Here are simple and effective ways to keep your house cool this summer.
Duct Sealing
The ducts that run throughout your home are vital for safe ventilation and heating. They can, however, be a major course of energy loss.
The best way to keep your house cool with almost zero effort is to install duct sealing at the ends of all of your household ducts.
Holes and leaks in ducts may result in cool air from your AC or fan leaking outside, meaning that you will need to use more energy and money to keep cool.
With professional duct sealing, the energy efficiency of your home will skyrocket.
Radiant Barriers
Radiant barrier technology has become an enormously popular way of keeping the house cool in the summer, to the extent that even the Department of Energy has endorsed them.
Put simply, radiant barriers are highly reflective materials that can be installed in your attic. Once there, they bounce the heat that collects in the attic away, preventing the upper levels of the home from overheating.
You only need to install them once, and they will help keep your house cool all summer long.
Attic Insulation
When looking for tips for cooling your home, you may neglect to consider insulation.
It is a common misconception that attic insulation is solely about keeping the house warm in the winter ? it also works to keep the house cool.
Insulation basically works by managing air in the home. This means that it will keep cold air in the house during the summer, just as it retains heated air during the heater.
Attic insulation is an effective way to stay cool and save money.
Wall Insulation
In much the same way that attic insulation can be used for cooling your house, having a qualified professional install wall insulation will work wonders as well.
While attic insulation helps keep cool air inside the home, wall insulation is more effective at keeping the heat outside if needed. If you would rather not invite that 100-degree August afternoon into your living room, then wall insulation will help you out.
Check the R-Value
Finally, if you're looking for ways to keep your house cool in the long-term, then make sure to check the R-value of insulation and sealing materials.
R-value is a recent form of certification from the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) used to identify the energy efficiency of certain materials.
If a professional is installing insulation in your home, ask what the R-value is of the materials they are using.
If it's Grade 1, it will definitely help keep your house cool this summer.
Implement These Ways to Keep Your House Cool Today
If these ways to keep your house cool inspired you to get a jump on summer, we're here to help.
Don't hesitate to get in touch with our team of qualified professionals today for insulation and duct sealing done right.
