Summer-Proof Your Home in Tucson

Summer temperatures in the Tucson area can result in high energy usage if you’re not careful. Taking steps to summer-proof your home can help ensure it stays cool enough without costing you a lot of money on your energy bills. Use these tips to help you prepare your home for hotter weather.

Limit Heat Indoors

Limiting the amount of heat inside your home during summer can help it stay cooler overall, so you won’t have to turn up your air conditioning. You can do this in several ways, such as only using your dishwasher and dryer at night since these appliances produce heat when they’re running. If possible, avoid using your stove and oven on hotter days, and switch to LED or compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs.

Switch Your Ceiling Fan’s Direction

Ceiling fans won’t generate cold air, but they can help rooms feel cooler by moving air around. To make the most of this, switch your ceiling fans so that they run in a counterclockwise direction. This helps air move down instead of up, resulting in refreshing drafts. Sitting under or near a ceiling fan also helps your skin feel cooler, so you might not have to use your air conditioning as much.

Change Your HVAC Filter

HVAC filters help your air conditioner run smoothly while also improving indoor air quality. Before summer arrives, change the filter in your HVAC system. These filters become dirty due to debris, such as dust, so putting in a brand new one ensures healthier indoor air. Your HVAC system will also be able to run more efficiently with a clean HVAC filter.

Seal Gaps and Cracks

These small openings allow cooler air in your home to flow outside. When this happens, you might have to run your air conditioning more to keep your home feeling cool. Seal up any gaps and cracks you find in your walls, around doors and windows, and in other parts of your home.

Improve Your Home’s Insulation

You can heat-proof your house by adding insulation as needed. Insulation helps keep the air inside your home instead of allowing it to leak out. Having this air stay in your home means you can use air conditioning less often. Check the insulation in your attic, walls, and other areas to see if they have enough.

Summer-Proof Your Home with New Windows

Upgrading your windows can help you save a significant amount on your energy bills. Newer windows with Low-E coating and other energy-efficient features help lower the amount of solar heat that enters your home in summer. This allows you to use air conditioning less, resulting in lower energy usage, as well as less wear and tear on your HVAC system.

If you’re looking for new windows to help prepare for summer, contact The Window Depot today. Visit our store in the Tucson area or one of our other Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, or California locations to see our selection of energy-efficient windows.