When cool air loss occurs in your home, it not only raises your energy bills but can also put a heavy strain on your air conditioning system. This strain can ultimately cause a breakdown and may result in replacing your AC system sooner than expected. To prevent significant cool air loss, we suggest homeowners check the following areas of their homes to identify areas of poor insulation or risk of air loss.
- Garages
Garages can be a significant source of cooling loss in homes, especially if they are attached. Since garages are often not insulated as well as the rest of the house, they can let in a lot of warm air and let out cool air. To mitigate this, ensure that your garage door is insulated and sealed properly. Additionally, consider adding weatherstripping around the door leading from the garage to your home to prevent cool air from escaping.
- Cracks in Walls, Windows, and Doors
Around 38% of cooling loss in your home comes from cracks in your walls, windows, and doors (often invisible to the naked eye). A ⅛ inch gap under a 36-inch wide door will let as much warm air into your home as a 2.4-inch hole through your wall. To avoid this, we recommend regularly caulking the joints around your window and door frames and installing weatherstripping around the moving parts of your doors or windows.
- Poorly Insulated Windows
Windows cause a lot of cooling loss because they are made of glass, which is a poor insulator. There are a few ways to prevent your home from losing cool air through its windows. First, installing triple-glazed windows or storm windows can help lower the amount of cooling loss through windows by about 10-20%. A more cost-efficient way to insulate your windows is by installing plastic sheets on the existing panes. A plastic coating can reflect cool air back into your home during the summer and can be easily installed using a hair dryer. However, if you choose to install storm windows, be sure to choose Energy Star-rated energy-efficient solutions.
- Framed Walls
Cooling loss through walls generally occurs due to physical contact with hot weather. Over time, different types of insulation within walls can lose effectiveness and therefore need to be replaced or upgraded. Adding insulation to your walls does not require major renovations, as there are repair options available for homes with existing walls. You can choose to have loose, fill, or blown-in cellulose, fiberglass, or mineral insulation, as well as spray foam, installed in your wall frames. We recommend hiring a professional to handle this process for you.
- Attics and Roofs
Heat can enter through your attic and roof, causing your air conditioning system to work harder to keep your home cool. Ensure that your attic is properly insulated and check for any gaps or leaks in your roof that could allow warm air to enter and cool air to escape. Adding or upgrading attic insulation and sealing any gaps can significantly reduce cooling loss and improve your home’s energy efficiency.
- Exterior Doors
The least of all cooling loss occurs through your home’s doors. If you find that your door is causing major cooling loss, we suggest buying a new Energy Star steel and fiberglass door, as they are the most insulating.
Although all homes lose cool air one way or another, some houses lose cool air more rapidly and significantly than others. Carolina Comfort Air urges homeowners to identify, diagnose, and take action to prevent cool air loss to protect against high utility bills, and to prevent breakdowns.
Contact us today for professional air conditioning maintenance and repair services to keep your home comfortable all summer long.
