Exorbitant cooling costs can be a thorn in the side of any homeowner. This is particularly true for individuals who live in areas that are prone to excessively warm weather. In fact, depending on how warm a climate you hail from, cooling costs stand to eat up a sizable chunk of your monthly income. While there’s no definitive way to eradicate cooling costs entirely, there are a number of ways you can make it less financially burdensome. So, if you’ve ever found yourself wondering why you spend a fortune on home cooling, consider the following reasons.
Your Attic isn’t Properly Insulated
A large amount of indoor air can escape through the attic – and an equally large amount of indoor air can enter through it. Needless to say, excessive amounts of escaped air can prove highly conducive to increased cooling costs. As such, keeping your attic properly insulated should be among your foremost home cooling priorities. So, if your attic’s current insulation has seen better days, there’s no time like the present to replace it. If you have little to no experience installing insulation, this task is best left to a knowledgeable professional.
By extension, you should also stay on top of roof maintenance. This means having your roof thoroughly inspected for holes and other damage at least once a year. For example, if you live in an area that receives harsh winter weather, the moisture from snow and ice can cause warping and holes to form in your roofing. In addition to providing a clear window through which air can escape, holes stand to compromise the structural integrity of your roof – which can present a considerable safety hazard to your entire household.
You’re Over-reliant on Air Conditioning
Air conditioning is downright essential in many parts of the country. In fact, depending on how severe the heat is, reliable A/C is your foremost line of defense against uncomfortably warm indoor temps. Still, this doesn’t mean that A/C should be the only home cooling aid you rely on. Running your air conditioning 24/7 – even when doing so isn’t warranted – stands to exponentially increase your cooling costs.
Additionally, overreliance on A/C often causes people to completely overlook other effective cooling tools. This is particularly true in the case of ceiling fans. Although they’re commonly viewed as playing second fiddle to air conditioning, high-quality ceiling fans can function as bona fide home cooling aids in their own right. Not only can they complement the efforts of your home’s A/C by helping circulate the cool air it produces, they can also produce downward-flowing cool breezes when their blades have been adjusted to spin counterclockwise.
To maximize the effects of ceiling fans, take care to install them at key points throughout your residence. Furthermore, dependable ceiling fans are available in an extensive assortment of colors, styles and sizes. For example, people who are working with very limited ceiling space can find a bevy of small ceiling fans that suit their needs perfectly.
You’re Leaving Your Curtains Open During the Day
Although many of us love using the sun as a source of natural light, doing so stands to increase the temperature inside our homes, especially during periods of extreme heat. You can get a handle on this problem by keeping curtains and other window dressings closed during the sun’s peak hours. For added protection, consider investing in blackout curtains. The thick thermal materials these curtains are composed of enable them to effectively minimize the amount of sunlight that finds its way inside. As an added bonus, blackout curtains can also prove helpful at keeping cool air from escaping and warm air from entering.
Living in an area that receives summer-like temps year-round has a number of advantages. For example, not having to deal with heavy snowfall, icy roads and the various other dangers associated with winter weather can be a tremendous relief. However, this isn’t to say that perpetually warm weather doesn’t come with its share of inconveniences – most notably exorbitant cooling costs. Furthermore, without even meaning to, many homeowners exacerbate this issue and inadvertently increase the amount they spend on cooling. So, if you currently engage in any of the previously discussed behaviors, now would be the time to make some changes.