Tips to give your HVAC a break this summer

As temperatures rise outside, your home's interior is getting hotter and that means uncomfortable living spaces and sleepless nights. Lowering the A/C helps but the unit is not necessarily delivering the temperature the dialer is saying and it is also very expensive. In fact, most homes today lack cooling efficiency, with electricity bills skyrocketing through the roof. Residential electricity rates have been surging for months and are going to climb even higher this summer. With a combination of tight supplies of natural gas and coal, and a nationwide forecast for extreme heat Barclays Plc calculates that monthly bills will be more than 40% higher than last year’s and projections from the US Energy Information Administration show this year’s retail residential rates increasing the most since 2008. Here are a few less expensive cooling solutions that help you cool down a room fast while saving money.

Maximize your AC efficiency

Fortunately, there are a number of cooling methods that take between a few minutes and an hour to apply. With any or all of these methods, soon you'll cool down a room fast to more manageable temperatures. Although air conditioning can be a marvelously effective way of cleansing and moderating the air immediately around us, it has the potential to be inefficient both in terms of cost and effectiveness - particularly in the case of older models without the help of today’s technology.

Attics in homes in South Florida can heat up quickly when exposed to the sun all day long. This heat will eventually start to transfer into the house if no insulation is present to stop it and the heat transfer will make the space less comfortable even if the air conditioner is running. Insulation allows the conditioned air to remain cooler for a longer time.

The importance of your home’s insulation

Your home’s insulation is incredibly important - especially when you’re trying to fine-tune your air conditioning efforts. An air conditioning system requires insulation to reduce energy losses and achieve high efficiency. Nothing affects HVAC efficiency more than the quality of insulation in your home. To understand how attic insulation helps keep your home cool in the summer months, you first have to be aware of the ways a poorly insulated attic can make your house hot. Roofing materials often absorb the sun, especially metal sheeting or asphalt shingles. This heat is then transferred through your wooden beams and into your attic. The heat that is passing freely into your attic will eventually begin to seep into the rooms where you spend your time—and this increase in warmth will mean your air conditioner has to run overtime to cool your house down, burning more energy than necessary. Therefore it is vitally important to stop air-conditioned air from escaping the living space, so that all areas of the home can be efficiently maintained at a comfortable temperature level. 

Insulation is your home's thermal barrier that works to slow down the transfer of heat from one place to another. If you have inadequate insulation in your home, you’re going to struggle with the cooling power in your home on a regular basis. Make sure that you contact the professionals on our team who are going to make your home's comfort easier to achieve and save you money at the same time.

How to know if your A.C needs a break

Not sure if the insulation in your home is up to par? If you’re experiencing any of the problems listed below, it’s a great idea for you to call our professionals.

• You’ve got high energy bills
• The inside of your home is drafty
• The temperatures inside your home change very often
• Your home is too hot in summer
• You struggle with pest infestations and mold growth
• Your walls, floors, and ceilings heat up

If you’re struggling with any of these problems, there’s a huge chance that your home is under-insulated. It’s important to note that your home can lose 25% of cooling efforts through your windows and doors, but your insulation has a three times greater impact on your home energy comfort. Your insulation is incredibly important! 

Schedule seasonal check-ups

Making sure you have adequate insulation when using air conditioning is just a start for getting efficient and effective use out of your system which will save you money. It is also necessary to get your unit regularly serviced by professionals to ensure that it is working properly. Other simple measures include frequently cleaning your unit from dust and dirt and changing its filters to allow it to operate to its full potential. Remember that air conditioning can only be effective when you allow it to; so insulate the areas you want to control and enjoy your new temperature moderated space!

Contact our team of professionals at Koala Insulation of South Miami to learn more about your options today. Installing insulation sooner than later will save you money and help your air conditioning systems to not burn out during summer.