Heat constantly moves toward cooler temperatures, and slowing this movement will reduce the work required of your home’s A/C. Indoor heat gain comes from the sun, outside air temperature, humidity and daily activities. Lessening its impact is possible using affordable and easy home improvements and simple lifestyle changes.
Windows
Single pane and unrated dual-pane windows may account for half of the heat infiltration during the summer. Glass has poor insulation qualities, and even if the windows don’t have solar exposure, they still conduct heat.
Thermal and Energy Star-qualified windows use multiple panes of glass filled with inert gases that stop any heat transfer. If they’re not in your budget, shade windows that have sun exposure with solar shade screens or landscaping materials. Closing thermal drapes or blinds stops some of the heat from entering your home regardless of exposure.
Exterior Components
The color of the roof and walls, along with their insulation levels, can pull in 20 percent of the summer heat entering your home. Lighter colors reflect more heat, and adequate insulation in the attic reduces the amount of heat seeping through ceilings.
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends that homes in our region have 20 inches of fiberglass or cellulose insulation in the attic. Increasing insulation levels is an affordable improvement that lasts for decades and starts working as soon as it’s installed.
Air Infiltration
Thirteen percent of the heat gain in your home may be attributed to air leakage around doors, window frames and the infrastructure entering or leaving it. Caulk, weatherstripping and expanding foam will stop the leaks immediately.
Home Activities
Major appliances you use indoors like the dryer, stove and oven generate heat that your A/C has to remove. If it’s possible, schedule heat-producing activities for cooler mornings or evenings. Microwaves generate less heat than the stove, as do slow cookers, so consider these alternatives when cooking. Switching lights from incandescent bulbs to CFL or LED also cuts the heat indoors.
To learn more about reducing heat gain, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We provide top-notch HVAC services for Indianapolis area homeowners.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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