How to Keep Your House Cool–From the Top Down
5/24/2017
With the summer months fast approaching, are you wondering how to keep your house cool?
Your HVAC system is about to hit its busy season, and if your home is not properly outfitted, your air conditioning unit could be working itself into an early grave. However, you can alleviate much of the summer stress from your HVAC system by properly equipping your house from the top, down.
During the summer months, your roof endures the full heat of the sun’s rays every day, and this heat can make its way into the living area of your home. A good way of preventing this unwanted heat infiltration and keeping the house cool is to properly insulate your attic. Many older homes lack sufficient attic insulation. This lack of insulation makes it easier for the heat from the roof to seep into the living space, while also allowing cool air from inside the house to escape through the roof.
Insulating your attic is not the only solution to prevent the transmission of heat into your home through your roof. Shingle color has proven to be very important when it comes to heat protection. Opting for a lighter colored shingle will reflect more of the sun’s energy, while a darker color will absorb and hold more of that heat. If you are having a new roof installed, ask your contractor about including a radiant heat barrier. This aluminum foil-like barrier that goes underneath your asphalt shingles can reduce heat infiltration through your roof by up to 25%.
If you live in an area that experiences full sun almost year-round, reflective shingles may be the best solution for protecting your home and your roof from the sun, and thus your home cooler. These specially designed shingles reflect the sun’s rays, preventing the absorption of solar radiation. Given the name “cool roofs”, they are becoming more and more popular, with some communities in warmer climates requiring buildings to be outfitted with “cool roof” technology.
Your roof is a very vulnerable part of your house, and, if neglected, can put a strain on other elements of your home, especially your HVAC system. The summer months are tough on your home and HVAC system, but you can limit air conditioner repairs and save on energy bills by learning how to keep your house cool, which includes making sure your house is properly outfitted, from the top down.