As summer creeps upon us, we find ourselves outside playing in the sun, enjoying having kids home from school and weekend BBQs with friends. We also find ourselves with a warm house, a cranked air conditioner and a high energy bill. There’s really no escaping the heat and humidity here in North Carolina, so we have to make the best of it. While there are plenty of tips for keeping cool without turning on your air conditioner, here are three tips for decreasing your energy bill by a little Do-It-Yourself for more energy efficient windows.
Tip 1: Add storm windows.
These are typically a quick addition with either magnets or velcro that fit inside your window frame. It’s an extra, sealing layer to keep the cool in and the heat out. Since they’re not permanent, you can reuse them every year. The nice thing about storm windows is they add an extra layer of insulation (durable, thin plastic) without taking away your view.
Tip 2: Caulk and weatherstrip your windows.
When there are holes in your window frame, sunlight and hot air is going to make its way inside. By applying caulk to your frame, you seal the gaps and keep the cool air inside. Please note that caulk should be used on the parts of your window that don’t move, i.e. the frame. For those pieces that do move, weatherstripping comes in handy. For example, place weather stripping on the bottom of your window where it meets the sill to keep that air from escaping.
Tip 3: Cover your windows.
The summer heat shining through your beautiful, uncovered windows will turn your home into a greenhouse. By adding drapes or curtains, you prevent the extra heat from infiltrating.
Altogether, these tips will help keep your air conditioner from working overtime, and you’ll benefit from the energy bill savings.