Heat Gain Can Add to Your Energy Costs

Reducing the amount of heat gain that enters your Pasadena home this summer can help you lower your monthly air conditioning heating award air tro” costs and keep your household feeling more comfortable. The walls, doors, windows, and ceilings in your home all work together to insulate the interior space, so their energy efficiency can also impact heating and cooling costs.

Here are several tips for reducing home heat gain, to save even more with your efficient equipment:

Windows

Windows can account for almost 50 percent of a home’s heat gain during the summer.

• Shade sun from direct sunlight. Use a mix of awnings, shade screens, and bushy plants on the outdoors, and blinds, shutters, and window tints or film indoors. Properly shaded windows can save as much as 25 percent on the cost of air conditioning, when compared to windows that are left unblocked from direct sunlight.
• Close blinds and draperies. On those sunny summer days, close these amenities to keep out the heat.

Walls and doors

• Paint with light colors. Lightly colored exterior paint can better reflect the sun and prevent your home from absorbing as much heat. Additionally, using light interior paint will better reflect indoor lighting, whether it’s natural or man-made lighting, to help reduce your need to use multiple indoor lighting that also contributes to heat gain and energy costs.

Weatherization

• Check your weatherstripping. Inspect the areas around windows and exterior-leading doors to ensure all of the cracks are correctly sealed and aren’t leaking your conditioned air into the outdoors.
• Caulk around window frames. Use a high grade caulking compound to seal around window frames and other exterior penetrations like vents, electrical boxes, and pipes.

Ceilings

Attic ventilation and insulation can impact how much heat gets carried from the attic, through the ceiling, and into the living spaces.

• Ensure proper ventilation. Attics that aren’t properly ventilated can reach temperatures as high as 160 degrees. This heat can seep into your home and increase air conditioning costs, in addition to reducing the lifespan of roofing material.

For more information about preventing heat gain, contact your California experts at Air-tro Inc.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Monrovia, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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