We can offer plenty of tips to cut down on summer air conditioning costs. For example, we encourage customers to invest in high-efficiency equipment, which is one of the best ways to make cooling less costly while benefiting the environment.
One idea for lowering AC costs you may not have thought of is improving the insulation in your house. We offer installation and replacement of insulation in Modesto, CA. This is one of the best investments homeowners make because it’s useful year-round.
Yes, insulation helps with cooling your home
When people hear the word insulation, their minds often leap to thinking about keeping warm. This is because insulation is usually spoken about in terms of how it can help during cold winter conditions. For example, an insulated coat.
But insulation isn’t only for warmth. Insulation is a thermal barrier, which means it slows down the movement of heat through it. When you put on an insulated winter coat, the coat slows down the loss of heat from your body, making you feel warmer. In a house in winter, insulation traps as much heat as possible indoors.
Now let’s swap it around for summer. The insulation in the walls and attic of a house slows down heat gain inside the house. The air conditioning system cools the house by removing the indoor heat, and the insulation makes its jobs easier by restricting the heat from quickly coming back in. (This is why a coat won’t help you keep cool in summer; your body generates heat and the only mechanism to get rid of it is exposure to the air—you don’t have a personal air conditioning system!)
Improving your home’s insulation
Having quality insulation in your house means better comfort during the summer and winter and less energy spent to heat or cool the house. Because it lowers the strain on the HVAC system around the year, it also helps your heater and AC enjoy longer service lives.
However, your home may not have sufficient insulation, or the insulation is aging and damaged so it isn’t stopping the movement of heat. If your house feels like it has bigger temperature extremes than it once did and you have a harder time heating and cooling it, it may be time for insulation replacement. If you have an older home, it may never have had good insulation.
This is where we can help. Improving insulation, either with installation or replacement, is easier than you may imagine. We use blown-in insulation made of cellulose (45% recycled material) to fill in walls and lay down an insulating layer in the attic. Attic insulation is the most crucial for energy savings and comfort: during cold weather, heat rises and escapes through the attic, while in hot weather radiant heat can turn the attic into a 140°F furnace which seeps down to the rest of the house.
If you believe your home needs better insulation, call our team. We’ll find the solutions you need to Live Green and Saven Green!
Greenhart serves Modesto, CA with the best in energy efficiency. Live Green, Save Green!