Cool air is passive, but heat is always on the move in your home. Installation of a radiant barrier can slow it down. Heat rises, transfers through ceilings and walls, or radiates from a hot surface to a cooler one. Plugging air leaks can prevent heat loss from living spaces due to convection in winter. Adding insulation reduces downward conduction from a hot attic in summer. But heat from the sun’s energy radiating through the roof and into the attic can only be reduced by radiant barrier material.
Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning Blog: Posts Tagged ‘energy efficiency’
Save Energy Dollars While On Vacation This Summer
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012
Most people look forward to their summer vacation all year. However, if you don’t prepare your home for the vacation, you may end up with high energy costs and other problems while you’re away. To give yourself maximum peace of mind and to reduce your home’s expenses while you’re gone this summer, take some of the following steps:
The Importance Of Heat Pump Maintenance
Thursday, June 28th, 2012
If your home uses a heat pump for cooling and heating, you know how efficiently it can operate. You’ve seen the relatively low energy bills. However, like any other complex machinery, heat pumps need regular maintenance. Following are all good reasons for keeping your system in top condition. Shopping For A Heat Pump? Terms You Should Know
Tuesday, June 26th, 2012
When shopping for a heat pump, you’re taking a trip into the world of heating and air conditioning engineering. A heat pump works like an air conditioner in the summer, and thanks to design technology, as a home heater in the winter. Heat pumps simply exchange heat from one place to another for both functions. The following terms will help you make the right choice:
An Attic Fan May Be The Answer To Your Attic Heat And Humidity Problems
Thursday, June 21st, 2012
Your attic requires natural ventilation, and a solar attic fan will help nature get the job done. On a summer day here in the San Joaquin Valley, attic temperatures can approach 150 degrees. That accumulated heat conducts through the ceiling into living spaces. It also saps coolness from air conditioning ducts routed through the attic. In winter, unventilated attics may accumulate water vapor rising from the living spaces below and provide a moist environment for mold and mildew. These unwanted particulates may later infiltrate your home, not to mention rotting the wood structure and degrading electrical wiring. Most existing home construction incorporates lower attic vent openings at the soffits — located under the eaves of the roof — and upper vents at the gables on either end of the roof. Natural ventilation depends upon the chimney effect of warm air rising out of the gable vents, pulling fresh air into the soffits.
Summer Allergies Acting Up? 5 Tips To Alleviate Indoor Symptoms
Tuesday, June 19th, 2012
With the warm weather settling in, many people are plagued by allergies. Often, the air inside your house can be more polluted than the outside air, and this means there’s no escaping summer allergies when you go inside… unless you take steps to remove allergy-causing dust and debris from the air. Here’s five tips for alleviating your summer allergies:
The Basics Of High-Efficiency Air Conditioning — What To Look For
Thursday, June 14th, 2012
Given our long the cooling season in the San Joaquin Valley, choosing high-efficiency air conditioning systems for your home can increase your indoor comfort and lower your electric bill. The minimum SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ration) for new air conditioners and heat pumps stands at 13 in the United States. The SEER rating gives you a good idea of how efficient an air conditioner is over an entire cooling season. Some features of cooling systems increase the SEER number, including:
Could Insulating Your Water Heater Save You Money Long Term?
Thursday, March 22nd, 2012
When many homeowners think about saving energy, they often head straight to their furnace or air conditioner while ignoring another important home appliance, the water heater. Hot water accounts for between 10 and 15 percent of the energy costs in the average household, and you can significantly reduce that amount by making sure your water heater is well-insulated.
Was Your Duct System Designed With Energy Efficiency In Mind?
Thursday, March 15th, 2012
These days, more attention is given to energy efficiency and comfort in newly-constructed homes and retrofits. If your home is older, it’s possible that the duct system design was cookie-cutter style (quick and easy), rather than designed specifically for long-term energy efficiency. If you’re planning construction or retrofit, it’s important to know the elements of good duct system design.