Summer days in Greater Cincinnati can reach into the mid-90s, making your home a lot hotter. Hot summers also increase your utility bills due to more demand placed on your air conditioning system. Valley Insulation explains how to maximize your home insulation during the summer to lower your utility bills as much as possible.
Reducing Solar Radiation
One of the first things you can do to maximize your home insulation is to reduce the amount of solar radiation entering your home. This means keeping as much sunlight out of your rooms as you can. Use blinds, curtains, reflective materials, and room-darkening shades to reduce the light coming into your house. Valley Insulation recommends darkening rooms to help keep things cool.
Nighttime Cooling
Temperatures may cool to below the level of your thermostat setting at night. Consider turning the air conditioning off, and then open some windows to get a cross breeze going. Nighttime air cools your home without running your air conditioning, and Valley Insulation believes you can lower your utility bills even more if you can keep your home cool at night.
Programmable Thermostat
Valley Insulation can recommend an ideal programmable thermostat for your HVAC system. This computerized thermostat lets you set a particular temperature for day and night. Set your thermostat higher (to run the air conditioning less) when you’re not at home or when you’re sleeping. Less use of your air conditioning lowers your utility bills, so you can stay comfortable without spending more than necessary.
Air Circulation
Air circulation also keeps your home cooler during hot days. Ceiling fans are a good choice, but keep them at a low setting and only run ceiling fans if you’re actually in the room. Consider using a desk fan with a bowl of ice in front of it to keep yourself cool in whatever room you’re sitting. Valley Insulation can give you practical advice for maintaining a cool temperature in each room of your home or business.
Home Insulation from Valley Insulation
Home insulation for your walls, attic, and crawl space can dramatically lower your utility bills. Valley Insulation has more than 40 years of experience, and we install high-quality Nu-Wool cellulose insulation to optimize your home’s utility bills. Call (513) 353-4100 or contact us to discuss your home insulation options.
