The heat of summer in southeastern Virginia can really put a dent in your budget, but knowing how to curb your cooling load can save you money, as well as extend the life of your cooling system and help the environment.
You are likely to keep your windows closed to keep out hot air when your air conditioner is running, but if your curtains, blinds or shades are open during the day, they're likely letting in plenty of heat. In fact, an uncovered window lets in up to 85 percent of solar heat. There are several ways to curb that solar heat:
In addition to keeping solar heat out, you can do more around your home to curb its cooling load:
For more on curbing your cooling load, please feel free to contact us at Russell's Heating & Cooling. We've served the Hampton Roads area of Virginia since 1977. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Chesapeake, Virginia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about cooling loads and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide. Image courtesy of Shutterstock