Heat Gain in Southern Arizona: Cut It Down to Size

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Sometimes your air conditioner appears to be operating normally, but you still can’t get your home cool. The problem might be that there’s simply too much heat coming into your Yuma area home for your air conditioner to keep up. Take these steps to reduce heat gain in your home:

  1. Cover all windows. Use blinds and curtains on all of your windows, and keep them closed during the day, eHeat Gain in Southern Arizona: Cut It Down to Sizespecially on west- and south-facing windows. You should also consider shading them on the outside with awnings and trees – carefully planned shade features can block the sun during the summer but still allow it in during the winter. Shading your windows both inside and out could knock up to 25 percent off of your cooling costs.
  2. Use light colors to paint the outside of your home. Light colors reflect heat, and dark colors absorb it. Any heat absorbed eventually radiates into your home.
  3. Add insulation. Many attics, especially in older homes, are either poorly insulated or not insulated at all. Even though heat rises, attic heat is still a big source of heat gain because it heats up your ceiling and allows heat to leak into your home through light fixtures and other cracks. Be sure you have attic insulation with a minimum rating of R-30 (the higher the R-value, the better the insulation). Good attic ventilation also is essential to ensure a constant exchange of stale, superheated indoor air with fresher outside air.
  4. Weatherize your home. Check that the weatherstripping on your exterior doors is in good condition – you shouldn’t feel hot air coming in under the door or cool air going out. Check for leaks around your windows as well and caulk where needed. If you have windows or doors that are difficult to close tightly, get them fixed to avoid them being left cracked open and allowing heat to come in.

If you need help stopping heat gain in your Yuma area home, please contact us at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company. We’re a family-owned business that’s been serving Southwest Arizona since 1952.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about minimizing heat gain and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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