Cool Down Your Older Home
If you live in an older home in Auburn, Alabama, you probably regularly experience high energy bills and uncomfortable temperatures in the summer. While you might think this is just the price to pay for living in a beautiful, historic older home, there are ways to keep your home energy-efficient and comfortable all year long. Keep reading for simple cooling solutions for your older Auburn home.
Insulation
If your home is older, it’s likely the insulation has cracked, flaked, or dissipated over time. Faults in your home’s insulation can cause it to lose conditioned air, let in heat and humidity, and drive up your energy bills. So, how do you fill in the cracks? To simply add insulation, you can rent spray foam equipment from your local hardware store and you can do it yourself! For more advanced insulation installations, hire professionals to do the job. Remember, when working with insulation, always wear eye and skin protection.
Shutters/ Awnings
Many older homes in the south were built with shutters or awnings, however, if yours doesn’t have them, it may be something you should look at adding. Along with adding to the charming historic feel of your older home, shutters and awnings provide a source for heat to absorb into rather than entering your home. To add to it, you could even place planter boxes below your windows so the foliage can absorb some of the heat as well.
Porch
There’s just something about an old porch that makes you want to sit back in a rocking chair and listen to the birds chirping, but there’s more to porches than just that. Covered porches help provide shade for your home and reflect heat. If you don’t have a porch, consider adding one to match the southern style of your old Auburn home and create a more comfortable indoor and outdoor environment.
Landscaping
If you haven’t recently paid attention to the landscaping of your home, now’s the time. Trees, bushes, plants, and even foliage absorb heat and provide shade throughout the day. While you might have to take care of them, they take care of your home by shielding it from the heat of summer. Plant trees and shrubs around concrete areas like walkways and driveways since those areas tend to absorb a lot of heat close to your home. Also, plant foliage around the home, but ensure no bushes or trees touch the home itself or hang over the roof as that can cause an unsafe environment and even look bad to insurance companies.
Variable Speed Systems
If your current comfort system is unable to keep up with the cooling demands of your home, it could be time to get a new one. If you’re looking to lower energy bills and increase comfort levels, a high-efficiency variable speed HVAC system is the way to go. Spencer Heating & Air specializes in installing these systems in homes in Auburn, Alabama and the surrounding areas, even in older homes.
Variable speed systems ensure maximum efficiency by running at speeds between 30-100% to meet the cooling demands of your home and use less energy. These systems are extremely energy-efficient, and they’re even able to adequately control humidity throughout your home. If you’re looking to transform your home’s comfort, call Spencer Heating & Air for a free estimate on a new variable speed comfort system.
Ductless Systems & Custom Ductwork
Older homes oftentimes don’t have ductwork, or have old, damaged, ineffective ductwork. If you need custom sheet metal ductwork to replace your existing duct system, Spencer Heating & Air has you covered. We construct duct work in our shop after we have inspected your home to see if, number one, you actually need new air ducts installed, and number two, after measuring the exact amount you will need. And, our sheet metal ductwork will never wear out like old duct board systems do.
If your home has no ductwork and you’d like to keep it that way, our ductless mini-split systems are a great option. These systems allow precise temperature control of specific areas throughout your home from an indoor unit (or multiple units) that can be placed virtually anywhere. The systems are perfect for areas that are difficult to cool in the summer and heat in the winter like bonus rooms, sun rooms, home additions, or old homes with no ductwork. Spencer Heating & Air specializes in installing these systems and can get your home comfortable again in no time!
Learn More
If you’re having trouble cooling your old home, contact Spencer Heating & Air. We constantly share tips for giving you the best, most energy-efficient HVAC products and services on the market.
Call (334) 887-9020 today to learn how we can keep your old home comfortable, and be sure to check us out on Facebook and Instagram! cool down your older home cool down your older home cool down your older home cool down your older home
