It is the hottest time of year and running air conditioners is almost a necessity. Air conditioning costs U.S. homeowners nearly $11 billion in energy expenses annually, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Nearly five percent of all of the electricity produced in the United States is sapped by air-conditioning systems, which are used in 66 percent of U.S. homes, according to the department. But there are several strategies to reduce the energy expenses of air-conditioning. The sun puts a load directly upon the roof and the walls of any structure.
If you take the direct load of sunlight away, there is going to be less heat to deal with. Adding deciduous trees around a property are a great advantage in both the summer and winter months. Shading and evapotranspiration, (I know that is a mouthful), is the process by which a plant actively moves and releases water vapor, can reduce surrounding air temperatures as much as 6 degrees Fahrenheit, says the energy department report. Deciduous trees will gain foliage in the warmer months when shade is needed to reduce direct sunlight and shed their leaves in cooler months when more sunlight might be welcome upon the home. If trees are not an option, reflective roofing materials, solar roofing systems and window awnings can also block solar energy on the structure, providing an effective method of reducing the heating and cooling load. Cool roofing options include roofs painted with highly reflective paints, reflective sheets or tiles and panels that bounce back sunlight to prevent absorption of heat.
Green roof options are also a possibility for certain structures. Plants and vegetation growing on the roof not only absorb sunlight and heat, but can also serve as a garden in urban areas where planting space is limited. In addition, according to the energy department, adding window awnings to a home can reduce solar heat in the summer up to 65 percent on south-facing windows and upwards of 77 percent on west-facing ones,. Reflective blinds and films can also drastically reduce the amount of solar heat in a home during the day. Even though electricity is needed to run a fan, exhaust fans in an attic, kitchen or bathroom as well as ceiling and window fans are good ventilation resources that help drive heat from the home and require less energy than air-conditioning.
Natural ventilation, which is greatly improved with the use of fans, is the least expensive and most energy-efficient way to cool buildings. Window fans are advantageous and can be used to either pull in cool air at night or to help push out warm air. One drawback is that fans also draw in pollen and can cause problems for allergy suff
erers. In place of using ovens and other appliances that cause heat buildup, the Department of Energy recommends homeowners take to grilling or microwaving food instead…something I do regularly.
Another way to reduce heat and save energy is to switch to more energy-efficient light bulbs or cut the lights altogether. Traditional incandescent bulbs convert only a small percentage of the total electricity consumed into light while the rest is lost in the form of heat. In addition, allowing dishes and clothing to dry by air rather than dishwashers and dryers can help keep homes cool while saving on summer energy expenses. Be sure you have an efficient unit to cool your home properly. I recently purchased a new system from one of my sponsors (Durham Heating and Cooling – see ad on this page) and my cooling costs actually went down. I couldn’t be happier. Feel free to comment on this and please hit the “Like” button at the end of this post.
