Follow the Sun

Posted on by PEC
Save money on heating & cooling by adjusting blinds and opening windows in the spring and fall.

Adjust Window Blinds to Naturally Heat & Cool Your Home

A simple way to reduce home energy costs is to use your existing window blinds to help maximize your comfort, changing and adjusting them with the season. In the winter, open the binds on the windows that face south to let some sunshine and heat in during the day, and then close them at night. In the summer, be sure to keep the blinds and curtains on the south side of your house closed to protect against the sun’s rays heating up your otherwise nicely air conditioned interior.

You’ll save money on your heating and cooling bill, and adding natural (and free) light to your house in the winter will also reduce your electric bill.
In much of the spring and fall, you can turn off your heating and cooling system entirely — open your windows and use natural fresh air to provide a comfortable temperature in your home.

 

Consider Purchasing Energy Efficient Windows

New windows are much more efficient than ones from a generation earlier — double panes, gas filled elements, reduced solar gain — the list of features is extensive, but so is the price. If you’re building a new house or renovating an old one, these are worth learning about — and a 30% federal tax credit also applies. You can also enhance the insulating ability of the windows you already have at a very modest cost. Hardware stores and home centers carry do-it-yourself window film kits that will help your windows keep heat inside during the winter, and there are some new products that can help reflect the sun’s rays back to the outside during the summer.

 

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