As we enter the peak cooling season in the Yuma area, conducting an energy audit of your home will help you lower your electric bills without suffering indoors from high temperatures. The cooling season in Yuma averages seven months, which can add up to thousands of dollars to cool your home for the entire season.
- Plug the air leaks. Your exterior doors and windows may be letting in hot air. Inspect the window frames from t
he outside and if you see cracks or gaps between the seam of the exterior and the window, use caulk to seal them. Apply new weatherstripping to the door frames to better seal the doors to reduce drafts. - Deal with the windows. Unless you have thermal or Energy Star windows, the glass in your home allow considerable heat exchange in the summer. If upgraded windows aren’t in your budget, use shade screens on the east, south and west windows to reduce the heat coming indoors.
- A professional energy audit involves a blower test. You can replicate this leak testing by closing all the windows and doors and the fireplace flue. Turn off any combustible appliances you have under roof, but turn on all your exhaust fans. Walk through your home with a lighted incense stick and note areas in the home where the smoke wavers. Note those on paper and investigate the cause once you’ve completed the whole-house check. When the smoke moves around, it’s being pulled by a draft, often indicating air infiltration.
- Look in your attic to see if the insulation levels are adequate. Much of the heat gain in your home comes from the roof from long hours of exposure to the sun. Blown-in or batt insulation is relatively easy to install and keeps your home cooler. If you’re not sure if your insulation is sufficient, take a sample to the home improvement store and ask the staff if you could improve it.
Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Co. has been serving the Yuma area since 1952 and can help you improve your air conditioner’s energy efficiency once you’ve completed the energy audit. Contact us to learn more.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy audits and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Hansberger Refrigeration & Electric Co services the Yuma area in Arizona. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
