Reducing heat gain in your home goes a long way toward lowering your air conditioning bill. The first and easiest step is to address your windows, which can be responsible for as much as 50 percent of the heat entering your home. The ultraviolet rays of the sun bring the heat indoors, though many options exist for lowering the amount of heat the sun creates in your home. They include:
Interior window coverings
Blinds, drapes and shutters give you ways to shield the sun from your windows as it strikes them. With blinds, you can change the direction the slats face to control the light in your rooms.
- When choosing draperies for reducing heat gain, consider insulated drapes, which trap and hold most of the heat at the windows. In order to achieve the most benefits, the drapes must be closed when the sun is shining.
- Window films have coatings that reflect the UV rays back toward the sun. They allow you to look outdoors with little view obstruction. Learning to install the film takes practice, so if you choose this option, buy extra for trial and error.
- Shades with reflective backing can lower the heat gain substantially. Mount the shades as close to the glass as possible for maximum protection.
Exterior window coverings
- If you’re not home often during the day to open or close window coverings, consider shade screens. These can block up to 90 percent of the heat coming from the sun. They alter your view indoors somewhat, but you won’t need to pull any drapes or blinds to lower the heat gain when the sun hits these. Take them off and store them in the fall.
- Awnings can be a permanent way to block the summer sun, while allowing sunshine indoors during the winter.
If you’d like to learn more about reducing heat gain and lowering your energy bills, contact Ace Hardware Home Services. We’ve provided quality HVAC services for the Dayton area since 1978 and carry the industry-respected NATE certification.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about reducing your heat gain and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Ace Hardware Home Services services the Ohio’s Miami Valley. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
