As it gets hotter and more humid in central Texas, many homeowners think about ways they can make their homes more comfortable – or what they must sacrifice to save on energy costs. Our Austin insulation experts want to share a few misconceptions that many homeowners actually believe. Get these thoughts out of your head! We’re here to help make your life cooler and more comfortable.
If you can stand to sweat just a little in your home, you’ll save on energy costs. While this may be a little bit true, the fact is a home that’s built to be efficient will actually save you more WITHOUT you having to be uncomfortable. There are times in our lives we feel that making a sacrifice will provide positive results (well, that does seem to be the case with dieting, lol.) If your home is well insulated, fitted with the right HVAC system, and built to be efficient, you can be cool and comfortable without paying a bundle in energy costs.
Most of the heat loss (or gain) happens around the doors and windows. Nope, wrong again. If you think about it, your walls, floors and ceilings take up far more surface area than the windows and doors. In a home that has little or no insulation, heat loss or gain occurs throughout the “whole” of your home – the shell, basically. This is why quality insulation is so essential to cool spaces in summer months, and warm spaces in winter months.
A bigger air conditioner should do the trick. If your spaces are warm and uncomfortable in the Texas heat, a larger AC system isn’t necessarily the answer unless the one you currently have isn’t big enough for your home. An HVAC system that’s too large for your home will cycle on and off quickly due to the fact it cools it down so fast. This actually makes you more uncomfortable, as the AC doesn’t run for the length of time required to remove humidity. Your energy bills will also be higher. Never go any larger than an AC system that is properly sized for your home. It will only make things worse.
I’ll have my insulation brought up to code and it will all be good. Lordy no! Building code requirements are only minimal, meaning they state the minimum that has to be met when a home is being built. Most builders install the least amount of insulation they can get away with, as it keeps costs down. A little bit of insulation isn’t going to cut it. In order to enjoy the most comfort every season and keep costs down, you need to fill up every nook and cranny with quality insulation.
The fact is, an efficient home will provide your family with supreme comfort while you enjoy lower utility bills, improved indoor air quality and more. If it’s time to update your insulation, give our Austin spray foam insulation contractors a call today.