Cooling costs can put a real strain on your summer budget. You should not feel like you are anchored to your house simply because the money you pay to keep your house cool keeps you from funding your summer adventure plans. By taking steps to optimize the function of your AC unit and making your home more energy efficient, you can rein in your cooling costs.
Roof Replacement
While you should not replace your roof simply to keep your cooling costs down, every roof needs replacing from time to time. When that time comes, you can save yourself some money on cooling costs by installing a roof that will deflect the sun's energy away from your home before it has a chance to drive up the temperature of your home. For example, simply by installing a white roof, you can cut your cooling costs by 15%. While color is important, so is material. A metal roof treated with an emissive coating can cut your cooling costs by up to 23%. Roofing can have an impressive effect on your cooling costs, but heat can get into your home in other ways.
Window Films
Windows allow light to stream right into your home, which can help to keep energy costs down by reducing the need for artificial light, but they also allow UV rays into your home. UV rays will heat up the interior of your home, which then creates more work for your AC unit. You can buy transparent window films that will still filter out the sun's UV rays. Such films can reduce your cooling costs by up to 23%. As important as it is to keep heat out as much as possible, it is also important to make sure that every component of your AC system is working at its optimal level.
Duct Sealing
AC ducts can spring leaks over time. If you see an increase in your cooling costs that cannot be explained by a change in the weather or an increase in energy costs, you should have your ducts inspected and, if necessary, sealed. Leaky ducts can reduce your AC efficiency by up to 40%. You can have the most energy efficient AC unit on the market, but if you have leaky ducts, you will never realize the full savings you should have.
You might have to invest a little bit of money into improving the energy efficiency of your home and improving the function of your AC unit, but it will be money well spent. Speak with professionals like Shivani Refrigeration & Air Conditioning for more advice.
Share31 January 2016
Can furnace repairs be made by the average DIYer? If you know a little about what you are doing, is it possible to avoid the expense of having a professional come out to take care of any problems that you are having? My blog is all about furnace safety and repair. You will learn a few things that you can do on your own and advice for when to call in the professional repair technician to assist with the repairs. By the time you reach the end, you will have a better understanding of what you can and should not do on your own.
