Just like you would prepare your home for winter, you should prep and plan to upkeep your home in the summer. Read along for HIVE approved maintenance tips and tricks to beat the heat.
Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash
Maybe the most important part of your home to maintain in the warmer months is your HVAC unit. It’s inevitable that you’ll be using it frequently, and the last thing you’d want to happen (and we mean the last thing) would be for it to break. It’s a good idea to have it serviced before winter, and then again before summer - but having a professional come to take a look at least once a year is ideal. We set dates in our calendar for the easy-to-forget things such as air filter replacements, HVAC tune-ups, pipe cleanouts, etc. There are also a handful of apps that can coordinate with your system to help it run at its most efficient - some require a subscription while others just charge a one-time fee for the product itself. Check out: Nest, Honeywell, Ecobee or EnergyHub if this interests you.
One of the biggest summer energy blunders in our home are things we have complete control over, but that we may not consider as warming the house. First, let’s talk about those windows! Did you know that sunny, uncovered windows can account for up to 40% of the warm air inside your home (this means your AC unit is working 2-3x harder to cool down the home)!? Yes, we all love a bright, cheery home but there are ways to let light in without compromising a cool environment. Consider installing window film that blocks UV and heat but still allows sunlight - another less permanent option would thermal curtains or pull shades that provide light-blockage when drawn but offer great light when opened.
Water intake is important, of course - but also water temperature! During the summer you should be using as much cold water where possible - for handwashing dishes, loads of laundry and more. For tasks that require hot water (showering, dishes) we recommend saving those for either very early or very late in the day - that way your unit won’t have to work so hard to keep humidity and heat out. While we’re on the topic of water, we highly recommend investing in a rain barrel. There are some that look like rain barrels, but there are several beautiful ones that will blend in with the rest of your home! On average - rain barrels save about $35 in watering costs per month and can save up to 1,300 gallons of water per month (Source: US EPA).
Lastly, seal up any spaces where warm air is entering and cool air can escape. Many homes have leaks around windows, doors (older doors especially!), and baseboards. Weather stripping is fairly inexpensive and you can choose aesthetically-pleasing options that aren’t very noticeable. Some energy companies even offer free weather-proofing or rebates, so check with them before investing in weather-proofing!