We’re in the dog days of summer, and many homeowners in New England are wondering how to stay cool without air conditioning. There’s no denying that air conditioning is a luxury, but the good news is that there are green energy saving methods to keep your home cooler and ventilated with your windows—despite the 80 and 90-degree temperatures.
Are Your Windows Facing West? Keep Your Blinds Closed
If you’re living in a coastal home, the combination of heat and humidity can make it feel as if you’re living in a greenhouse. West-facing windows often allow unwanted heat because the sun hits the west side during the hottest parts of the day.
The key in this case is to keep west-facing blinds closed. This act alone can save you 7% on utility bills, making it a green energy technique to keep more money in your wallet.
Rotate Your Ceiling Fans to Spin Counter Clockwise
One of the lesser-known secrets for cooling a home without air conditioning lies in your ceiling fans. According to Energy Star, rotating ceiling fans counterclockwise creates a wind-chill effect; therefore, it can help you feel cooler. This can also help increase airflow and circulation in your home. If you live on the coast, this technique also allows you to enjoy an extra sea breeze throughout the day. Furthermore, using kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans helps remove heat from a room by filtering it outside.
Maximize Air Flow with Cross Ventilation
While you don’t want to allow hot air into your home during the day, cross ventilation is one of the keys to keeping your home cool without air conditioning. You accomplish cross ventilation by regulating airflow through the home using strategically placed windows, doors, and fans.
Cross ventilation is a green, energy-saving method that keeps your home comfortable and breezy, even on the hottest summer days. The first step is to find an inlet window, which is best positioned to catch incoming gusts of wind. You’ll also need to locate an outlet window, which is used to filter hot air back outside.
Next, place a fan in front of your inlet window that faces into your home. You should then place a second fan in your outlet window that faces outside. The idea is that warm air filters through the fan in your outlet window, which then pushes it outside. Be sure to keep interior doors open so the air is able to flow through your home.
Make Your Windows Work for You This Summer
Whether you’re living with or without A/C this summer, energy efficient replacement windows can help keep your home more comfortable and maximize airflow. Poorly designed windows lack air locks, weather-stripping, and barriers; therefore, they allow air to force its way inside. Without these design features air will push between the sash meeting rails and around the sash perimeter.
Another feature to consider when choosing an efficient window is the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) rating. This is a measurement of how well a product blocks heat caused by sunlight. The lower the number the better which means less solar heat is transmitted through a window. Low- E glazing is a feature that you should look for in a window to keep this SHGC number low.
Lastly, an efficient glass package with argon or krypton gases helps insulate your home by keeping cool air in and hot air out.
Contact us today to learn more about green energy saving tips for keeping your home cool without air conditioning and features you would look for in energy efficient windows.