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Lowering the amount of heat gain in your home will take a burden off your home’s cooling system and keep your energy bills more reasonable. Heat pouring through your windows and your ceilings will drive up bills and increase the wear on your A/C. These tips can help you stop the heat from infiltrating your home’s livable spaces.
Windows
Thermal or Energy Star-certified windows lower the amount of heat coming into your house via sunlight and warm outside air, by using multiple panes of glass with special gases that resist temperature change. Single- and even dual-pane windows without that gas will allow heat to travel through the glass, even when the sun isn’t shining on them.
One of the best ways to block the heat radiating through the glass from sunshine and high outdoor temperatures is to install reflective solar film on them. Some thermal windows use coatings similar to these window films to block heat transfer, in summer, and winter. Home improvement centers sell this film, or you can use a contractor who specializes in applying it to windows.
Planting deciduous vines, trees, or shrubs to shade the windows will also block the heat entering your house, although it may take a few years for them to reach a size large enough to block the heat gain.
Attic
Having sufficient insulation in the attic, including the attic hatch, will help stop built-up attic heat from radiating through your ceilings. As the sun beats on the roof, the attic heats up. Inadequate insulation won’t deflect the heat transfer effectively. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends at least 16 inches of attic insulation.
Another approach is to add an attic fan that will turn on when the heat reaches a specific temperature. These fans, either electric or solar, pull in cooler air, lowering the heat in the attic. Not only does it keep your home cooler, but it also prolongs the life of your roof.
If you’d like more information on controlling your home’s cooling load by reducing heat gain, please contact us at Pipe Works Services We’ve provided top-quality HVAC services for northern New Jersey since 1988.
