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Simple Steps To Cut Energy BillsBy Iain Stubley Today's young people live in modern world. They enjoy artificially cool homes, movies and malls. We might ask, 'What did people do before air-conditioning?' Yesteryear's solutions to summer heat still make sense and cents. Here's simple step how to reduce your electric bill. Close the door - On the other hand if hot air collects at the top of your house, close off stairways with doors to reduce overnight fan or air-conditioner usage. When cooling a lower floor, use doors to shut off empty rooms, or close floor and wall vents. Insulation - Insulation can keep cool air in and warm air out in summer just as it does the reverse in winter. In exterior walls and between exposed attic floor joists, insulation can cut energy costs by up to thirty per cent. Insulate over crawlspaces to decrease cool-air loss from living areas. External window coverings - Short of installing windows glazed with energy-efficient, heat-shielding glass, the best way to keep out the sun's high temperature is to create a fence between it and the window surface. Mount light-color fabric or aluminum awnings over east, south, and west windows. The best aluminum designs have overlapping panels that vent the heat that builds up underneath. Fabric awnings of traditional canvas or fade proof acrylic can be motorized for easy roll-up of the larger, patio sizes. On traditional-style homes, forgo the tacked-on, hollow plastic shutters for more substantial operable models. In hot climates, choose a louvered design and install shutters a few inches out from shallow window frames to release trapped air and minimize condensation. Up on the roof - Select light-color shingles that reflect solar heat. If your roof is in good shape, use a paint-on shingle coating that protects as it reflects. Some cover well enough to change the color of a dark roof. Summer high temperature that collects in an upper floor can radiate into living areas below. Install gable, eave, and ridge vents, and open shaded attic windows to let hot air escape naturally. More window knowledge - If you are away for much of the day, draw drapes, shades, and blinds over south- and west-facing windows to keep the sun out during the sunniest hours. On cool evenings, open windows on opposite sides of the house to encourage cross-ventilation. If your home has an open stairwell, let cool air in through basement or ground-floor windows and coax the heated mass out via upper windows or skylights. Save energy by not using it - Avoid operating irons, clothes dryers, cooking appliances even incandescent light bulbs during the afternoon or early evening. Eat salads or other cold foods, or cook on a grill outside; wash clothes in cold water and hang them up to dry on a clothesline. Green and growing solutions - Three intentionally planted trees can reduce the average home's energy use up to fifteen percent. Plant deciduous trees (trees that shed their leaves) on the south and west sides of your home, where they will screen windows, decks, and porches. (In winter, these same trees will let low-angle sunshine into your home.) Use shrubs or vines on trellises to shade your air-conditioner without obstructing it. Ask local nurseries or your county extension office which trees and shrubs grow best where you live. Remember to anticipate future plant size when buying specimens. About the author Homes On Sale - 100% free property listing site. Find property for sale by owner (FSBO) and save on agents fee's. Visit Homes On Sale for all your property needs |
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