Moving from a small, single-story home to a larger home with two or three stories can be exciting--until you see your first summer electric bill. As you’ve probably noticed, trying to cool an entire, multi-story home is an expensive endeavor. Not only that, but some areas always end up hotter than others despite your best efforts.
Fortunately, with just a few home improvements, you can finally achieve balanced, comfortable temperatures without breaking the bank. Check out these energy-saving tips and our video below!
Get your east- and west-facing windows tinted.
Right off the bat, it’s very likely that your windows are driving up your energy costs much more than you realize. According to the Department of Energy, during cooling seasons, 76% of the sunlight that falls through standard, double-pane windows becomes heat inside your home. You can curb this heat gain by getting your windows professionally tinted with protective films. Experts recommend placing this film on east- and west-facing windows to get the most benefit.
Add plantation shutters or heavy-duty blinds.
If you have south-, east-, and west-facing windows, you’ll gain extra temperature control in those rooms by installing plantation shutters, sturdy blinds, or cellular shades. These window treatments still allow indirect light in so that you’re not walking around in darkness, but they also block out the direct sunlight that increases heat in your home. They’ll also keep your home warmer during winter.
Replace incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs.
Incandescent lights release a lot of energy as heat, which is why you can feel how hot they are just by holding your hand close to an illuminated bulb. LED bulbs generate light at a much lower temperature than incandescent and even CFL bulbs, which is why people say LEDs “run cooler.” By replacing your incandescent bulbs with LEDs, you’ll have less heat in your home, and you’ll also have longer-lasting lights that cost you less money to use.
Install a zone system.
One of the biggest problems with cooling a multi-story house is that the upstairs is always much warmer than the downstairs. This is because hot air rises. Incorporating a zone system into your HVAC system is the perfect solution because the dampers direct airflow to wherever you need it. You get two significant benefits from a zone system. The first is that your entire home will finally reach a comfortable temperature. The second is that you won’t spend money cooling areas of your home that don’t need it.
Invest in a variable speed unit.
An HVAC system that can run at variable speeds has higher efficiency than a system that can run at one speed. It also offers you comfortable temperatures that are more continuous and consistent. Think about it: if your air conditioner can only run at one speed (full blast), you’ll end up with more drastic hot and cold fluctuations in your home. If your air conditioner can vary the rate at which it blows out air, it can keep your home at a more consistent temperature while running at a level that requires less energy.
At Rescue Air and Plumbing, we’re committed to helping you find HVAC solutions that make sense for your family’s needs. We’re always happy to offer our customers the best advice we can, so please don’t hesitate to call us with any questions about how to improve your home’s comfort: (972) 201-3253.