If the windows, doors, or skylights in your home are poorly designed you could be experiencing increasing indoor heat leading to an inefficiency of your air conditioning system. It is natural for heat to come into your home through open windows and doors. But, if your windows and doors are not fitted or sealed correctly and there are gaps and cracks around them, heat could be coming into your house all day long. This contributes to the temperature of your home being much higher than necessary and your air conditioning system will continue to run in an effort to reduce the indoor temperature.
Some of the ways that ill-fitted windows and doors can impact your indoor temperature include:
- Nearly 40% of the cool air inside of your home will escape through a crack or gap around a window or skylight
- During the summer months, the temperature in a room can increase through an unshaded window 100 times more than that of a room with a shaded window
- Your power bill can be up to 25% higher due to heat coming into your home through a gap or crack around a door, window, or skylight
Some steps that you can take to prevent these scenarios include:
- Research the right type of windows for your area. Window energy rating is an important consideration when shopping for windows. This system can help you to decide which kind of windows will help to save you money by better insulating your home.
- Spend some time researching your contractor if you are building, replacing, or remodeling the windows in your home. A good contractor with a high satisfaction rating will install windows in your home that are properly sealed and fit correctly.
- Add weather stripping around the doors in your home. If you notice any cracks or spaces around your door where light is coming in that means that heat is coming in also. Add weather stripping around the doors in your home to make sure that they are properly sealed and keeping heat out.
Each month people dread getting the power bill. Sometimes the sticker shock is enough to really make you mad. But, alas we need to power our homes, and keep the indoor temperature at a comfortable level. Follow these tips to make sure that you are not having dollars float right out the window or doors in your home.