Keeping your home from the effects of the North Texas heat can be a difficult feat. As your electric bill rises during summer months, we have some tips to help you lower your bill and conserve energy.
Your roof plays an important role in keeping your home cool. From reflective roof shingles to energy efficient window screens, there are plenty of ways to reduce, reuse, and conserve. First options, cool your roof. While most shingles are black, there are new technologies in the roofing industry designed to help you conserve energy consumption. Cool roofs reflect sunlight, staying cool, and reducing the amount of heat transferred into your home. When your roof is cool, your home is cool. This helps avoid a chilly 68 degree thermostat, but still get the same effect.
Another way to lower your monthly energy bill is to plant shade. Of course, this isn’t an immediate solution. But after your tiny seed has grown you’ll notice a drastic difference in your electric bill. Did you know a tree can block up to 70 percent of solar radiation from hitting your home? Shade can come from trees, shrubs, and plants placed in front of windows that receive the afternoon sun. Not only does this option keep your home cool, but it gives you great curb appeal with lush landscaping.
Keeping in line with shade, you can also invest in shades for your windows. From an awning to window screen reflectors, making sure your windows don’t trap and absorb heat has the potential to save you a pretty penny on your electric bill. For the interior of your home, shut the blinds. A room lined with windows isn’t called the “sun room” coincidentally. If you don’t want sun creeping into your home and absorbing your cool air, and money, keep the blinds shut during the afternoon.
This next tip is so simple, but often overlooked. Running your ceiling fan obviously provides cool air. But, it can actually be working against you if you don’t have the switch set to the right spin direction. Look for the small switch at the base of your fan. Set your fan to turn counter-clockwise during the summer and clockwise in the winter.
Did you know that everything plugged into the electric socket produces heat? If you are serious about cooling your home without constantly running the air conditioning, unplug!
From the roof to the ground, there are plenty ways to conserve energy and keep your home cool. Don’t automatically reach for the thermostat if your home starts heating up. Close the blinds, turn off the stove, and look to your ceiling fan. You’ll love the comfortable temperature of your home—and the cheap electric bill!