How to Keep The Heat Outside And Lower Your Energy Bills in Summer?

Californian (Bay Area ones as well) residents know how unforgiving the climate can be in the height of summer. Rising utility bills don’t make matters easy. There is nothing worse than having an air conditioner installed and still biting the bullet to outlast the heat in a bid to keep the energy bills down. There are ways for you to enjoy a comfortable summer. These are a few practical steps that can help you keep the heat out and make your house heat resistant.

Insulating Windows

Windows in a house are a major source of leak for conditioned air. You can keep the heat out effectively by insulating the windows in your home. This will help in reducing the load on your HVAC system. Windows are prone to developing cracks that let in hot air. You can use spray foam or caulking around the windows to stop hot air from coming in. In fact, you can apply an insulating film as well on the window panes as an extra layer of protection.

Weatherproofing Doors

There are several ways to weatherproof doors:

• Weatherstripping: This is not that expensive and is highly effective in keeping the heat out. You should apply rubber weather stripping and vinyl to the door jambs.
• Door sweeps: These are rubber strips that are affixed to the bottom of the door for keeping drafts out. Door sweeps don’t hinder door operation in any way.
• Draft guards: These are used when door sweeps are not enough for preventing air leakage from under the door. They can be easily fixed to the bottom of the door. Or, if required they can be moved into place when needed.

Get a Home Energy Audit Performed

Home energy audits are expensive, but they are worth it. You should consider appointing a professional to conduct a home energy audit on your home. Generally, utility companies provide this service. An auditor will perform a top to bottom inspection of your house to identify areas that cause energy loss.

They will offer advice on how to prevent energy loss as well for making your house more energy efficient. If you want you can look to the Department of Energy website for tips on how to conduct your own energy audit and not have to pay a professional.

Schedule Check-Up of Your HVAC System

You should have your system checked and maintained before the full summer heat sets in. You don’t want to have to deal with a broken system in sweltering heat. Qualified air conditioning technicians conduct thorough inspections of the system for highlighting problem area that need maintenance.

The technician will carry out measurements and tests to make necessary adjustments and ensure the air conditioner runs at maximum efficiency. Professionals can make sure the air conditioner is operating at maximum efficiency by fine tuning the system.

Consider a Replacement

You should think about installing a new air conditioning system if your current system is beginning to cost too much in annual maintenance or is coming up to retirement age. Newer models are far more efficient than what you probably have. The amount you spend on the new system would be recovered easily in a few years through energy bills savings.