Those of us who hail from parts of the country known for harsh winters can’t help but envy people who reside in states that enjoy warm weather year-round. The idea of an endless summer is certainly appealing to anyone who’s had their fill of heavy snowfall, dangerous ice and below-freezing temperatures. Of course, this isn’t to say that year-round warm weather isn’t without its faults. For example, many people who live in exceptionally hot areas have to contend with exorbitant cooling costs all year long. If this describes your situation, putting the following tips to good use stands to save you a bundle on monthly utilities.
Dependable Ceiling Fans
No home should be without dependable ceiling fans, much less a home in a perpetually warm area. Although many people regard ceiling fans as second-tier cooling aids when comparing them to air conditioners, the right fans can bolster your home cooling efforts in a variety of ways.
First off, ceiling fans can work hand-in-hand with A/C by evenly distributing the cool air created by air conditioning systems. Secondly, whenever the temperature outside starts to cool off, you can give your A/C a break, open some windows and let your fans circulate the outdoor air throughout your home. You can even imbue your ceiling fans with the ability to produce cool breezes that flow directly downward by adjusting their blades to spin counterclockwise. Anyone on the hunt for high-quality ceiling fans should have a look at the incredible products found at https://www.hunterfan.com/collections/ceiling-fans.
Meticulous Roof Maintenance
A large amount of outside air enters your home through the roof – and by extension, the attic. Furthermore, quite a bit of indoor air is able to make its escape through the roof and attic. As such, if there are any holes in your roofing, you’d do well to get them patched posthaste. In the absence of proper roof maintenance, holes are likely to form and the structural integrity of your roofing can be compromised. If not addressed, this ultimately stands to result in a caved-in roof, which can severely damage your home and place the safety of its occupants at serious risk.
With this in mind, make a point of having your roof professionally inspected at least once a year. A qualified roofer will be able to quickly identify any existing or emerging issues and remedy them accordingly. In addition, if your attic isn’t insulated or its current insulation has seen better days, take care to have fresh insulation installed by a seasoned pro. You can also cover your roof in solar panels, where companies such as Blue Raven can offer a custom quote for the installation, and in turn, lower your electricity bill.
Energy-Efficient Windows
While you may think that closing your windows is an effective way to prevent air from escaping, this isn’t exactly the case. Even if your windows are firmly shut, odds are you’re losing quite a bit of cool air through them. This is largely because standard single-paned windows are ill-equipped to minimize escaped air. On the flipside, energy-efficient windows are designed to keep escaped air to the barest possible minimum. True to their name, these windows feature multiple panes, ensuring that indoor air has fewer avenues of escape.
When considering an upgrade to energy-efficient windows, it’s important to remember the importance of upfront costs versus long-term savings. While you may find yourself put off by the high price tags associated with these windows, they should quickly pay for themselves in the form of noticeably reduced utility bills.
Consistent A/C Maintenance
A good air conditioning system is an absolute must for homes located in areas that receive warm temps all year long. Given what a large investment a dependable central A/C system represents, it’s in your best interest to get the maximum ROI – and to do this, you’ll need to commit to annual service visits. Knowledgeable technicians will be able to identify and repair a vast assortment of problems between they’re able to become larger – and costlier – issues. In addition, make a point of having any A/C issues you encounter professionally addressed posthaste, regardless of how small or inconsequential they seem.
For people in colder areas, living in a part of the country that receives summer-like temperatures year-round is liable to sound like a dream come true. While residing in a perpetually warm area certainly has its advantages, it also comes with its fair share of challenges – with year-round cooling costs being chief among them. Fortunately, there are a number of ways for people in these areas to enjoy comfortably cool homes while keeping their utility bills under control.