Want to stay cool and cozy without the high AC bills? Of course, you do.
The problem is, most homeowners think the solution to a scorching summer is to just blast more air conditioning. The smarter solution? Focus on preventing the cool air from escaping your home, instead.
Don’t worry, we’ll show you exactly how to do this. Here are 4 home insulation tips that will help you conserve cool air and save money.
Tip #1: Protect Your Windows
Windows can account for 25-30% of your heating and cooling bills, according to the U.S. Department of energy. Even if your windows are closed, they can still allow cold air to escape your home. There are a few ways to improve your window insulation and combat this issue. Here’s how to install insulation on your windows for cheap:
Add bubble wrap
Bubble wrap helps create a barrier between the outside air and your room by acting as thermal insulation, absorbing some of the heat through the pockets of air in the bubble wrap.
To apply bubble wrap to your window insulation, just spray a thin layer of water onto your window and press the bubble wrap (the bubble side) against the wet window.
Bubble wrap is a great option as opposed to heavier materials like cloth because it’s lightweight and clear, allowing sunlight to come through.
In addition, it makes for a very cheap insulation technique and is easy to install.
Put up thick drapes
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drapes can reduce heating and cooling loss by up to 10%.
While some drapes are fairly expensive, there are a few cost-effective options, including:
- Drapes or curtains with thermal lining
- Homemade drapes
- PVC shower curtains
Note: The key is to use a thick material that will go all the way to the floor, as opposed to curtains, which are typically sized to fit the window.
Window Insulation Film
This is a fairly cheap window insulation option that also allows sunlight into your home. Window insulation film is a plastic shrink film that you can apply to the inside of your window.
Tip #2: Cover openings
There are probably a few places in your home where cold air is escaping without you even noticing. Some common examples are:
- Mail slot: Unfortunately, this should stay unsealed to allow for mail delivery. However, you can purchase a mail slot cover which will allow for mail to be delivered without the cold air. For a no-cost option, you can also ‘seal’ your mail slot by covering it with a heavy material, like fleece.
- Chimney: Install a removable chimney balloon when you are not using your fireplace to prevent air from escaping.
- Doggie door: Seal this area when it’s not being used.
- Doors: Purchase and install draught-proofing strips (internally and externally) between doors and frames to mitigate heat loss.
Tip #3: Shut unused rooms
This will keep heat in a smaller area, preventing warm air from moving around the rest of the house. If you tend to stay in a certain area of your house, close doors to rooms you don’t enter as frequently.
Tip #4: Insulate your house
Home insulation is a little more pricey than the other tips listed here, but can end up paying for itself in a few years.
Heat naturally flows from a warm area into a cooler area. This movement of heat continues until both areas are the same temperature. In your home, this probably means that warm air is moving to cooler, air-conditioned areas in the home, making the hard-earn cool air warm once again.
A great way to prevent this is to properly insulate your home. This decreases heat flow by providing resistance.
There are many different kinds of home insulation, including:
- Fiberglass
- Rock and slag wool
- Cellulose
- Natural fibers
- Foam boards
- Sleek foils
While you can install home insulation yourself, we recommend having a professional do this as it can be difficult.
Still too warm?
If your home isn’t retaining as much cold air as you’d like, you should have an expert access your home and HVAC system to determine what the potential issue is.
Our experienced team is available 24-hours a day to help with these kinds of issues.