Hello everyone
It’s eco day Wednesday, one of my favorite days to blog. It’s always interesting and educational to read what’s new in eco friendly design tips and products for homes during the summer months.
It’s summer, which means that the weather can be scorching hot. Like me, you’re probably doing everything possible to keep cool for the summer season. We’re all aware that our energy bills increase tremendously in hot weather as we try to keep our homes comfortable.
Today’s post is all about ways to be energy efficient within your home without spending too much money. Let’s look at some helpful eco friendly ways to help your home remain cool during the summer months while reducing energy bills.
The cost of running an air conditioner is expensive and the burning fossil fuels used to power it contribute to global warming (do we see a vicious cycle here?!). As homeowners, we can assist in reducing the danger to the environment by implementing some changes to our home design.
If your house is facing south, that means you’re getting a lot of morning sun. To block that intense radiative heat and prevent it from warming up your house, install shades and/or awnings on the outside. They can also be retracted in other seasons when you want more sunlight inside. But during the summer, awnings let you enjoy the sunshine without letting in too much heat inside your home. They can also be quite beautiful and colorful.
Including light colored shades in the interior is a perfect way to help prevent the sun’s rays from entering a room and generating heat.
Planting trees are great for shade. Shade trees should be planted along the east and west sides of your home. Just don’t plant them too close to your home. You don’t want to have the roots growing into your foundation.
Ceiling fans are terrific for air circulation. Remember to put it on the summer setting. The fan doesn’t cool the room, but it makes you feel cooler because the breeze causes moisture to evaporate from your skin, removing body heat (the wind chill effect). When you leave a room, turn it off because the motion of the fan actually heats up the room. Here’s another tip for you, turn off your lights or install dimmer switches; they add ambience for meals and entertaining and they save energy. Use sensors to turn outside lights on only when needed. It’s another way to stop generating heat.
Love the ceiling fan. Very modern.
I wouldn’t object to having this view on a daily basis.
Finally, by adding fiberglass insulation to the attic floor and house walls, you can save up to 30% on your heating and cooling costs. The cost associated with doing this insulation will be offset by the noticeable lowering in your energy bills in the long term.
If you’re thinking of replacing a household appliance, choose an Energy Star labeled product. There’s a major advantage for using Energy Star, as you may be eligible for a tax credit.
Buy energy efficient windows. These windows have a special coating to reduce to thermal heat transfer. And don’t forget the doors: insulation and weather stripping add to the energy efficiency.
Electronics are also a major contributor to increasing your energy bills. When not in use, pull the plug!
Always activate your computer’s sleep mode when not in use. Are you aware that this can save $25 to $75 per year in energy costs?
If you have an attic, consider installing an attic fan. These fans are a perfect way to cool hot attics as they draw in cooler air from the outside attic vents and push the hot air outside.
A lot of stuff to take in, I know, but in the long run you’ll reap the benefits of lower energy bills!
Enjoy your Wednesday!
Simone
