When you have a limited budget, seeing your electricity bill during the hottest parts of the year can be depressing. However, if you have not heard of the weather stripping challenge, do not assume that it is strictly for wintertime heating bill reduction.
Instead, the same principle applies for homeowners looking to lower their air conditioning bills, and it is simpler than it may first seem. To get a better understanding of what could happen during a weatherstripping inspection and installation, keep reading.
How the Weatherstripping Challenge Works
In many cities, it is common for HVAC companies to show they have a green image by educating their customers about the benefits of saving the environment by reducing their overall utility bills. One simple and cost effective way to do this is by helping homeowners to take the weatherstripping challenge.
The idea is that the HVAC company identifies areas of a home that need weatherstripping and then the homeowners wait to see if the technique actually reduced their utility bills.
If the homeowner does in fact find their AC bills have decreased, the HVAC company has won the challenge. In other words, the homeowner only has something to gain and the planet wins, too.
What Weatherstripping Looks Like
You may have seen weatherstripping kits that involve foam that has an adhesive on the back. These are common first steps that some find cumbersome to apply.
Other types of weatherstripping involve metal parts that are screwed to the areas surrounding doors or windows that are professionally installed. Finally, one of the best ways to take care of many small cracks that allow cooled air to escape outside is clear silicone caulk.
Specialized Types of Weatherstripping
In addition to weatherstripping on the inside of the home, it can also be applied on the outside. This means that there will be unique situations when it is important to choose a type of material or adhesive that addresses the unique weather conditions around your home. For instance, there is a problem in wetter areas where weatherstripping is prone to rotting.
Other areas of the coastline might get too much direct sunlight in combination with sea salt. In all of these cases, specialized weatherstripping has been developed to prevent premature wear and tear.
Ways Weatherstripping is Used to Reduce AC Bills
Of course, the main idea behind the weatherstripping challenge is for homeowners to make this change and see if it reduces their utility bills. More often than not, homeowners find that the cost of weatherstripping far outweighs the benefits. Weatherstripping in regards to reducing air conditioning bills will follow similar patterns as reinforcing the home to keep as much heat inside as possible during the winter.
Basically, there are certain areas of the home that are prone to losing cooled or heated air, and this includes windows and doors. Interestingly, the air conditioning units themselves may be too loose in their installation kits and need a bit of weatherstripping. Since cool air sinks and hot air rises, there may need to be special attention placed on the first floor or basement area of the home.
What to Expect from the Weatherstripping Challenge Inspection
Homeowners that set up an appointment to see if weatherstripping is an option for their home will see a uniformed technician with a clearly labeled vehicle. These are essential parts of our operation that are part of our security procedure put in place for your safety. Once our technicians are inside the home, we will be searching for the usual culprits such as windows or doors, but heat meters may tell a different story.
For example, you may have open gaps in the floors or in the walls where recent plumbing repairs were made. In these cases, weatherstripping might need to be supplemented by foam insulation. While these are exceptions to the rule, they may be part of the report compiled by the technician.
At the end of the interior and exterior inspection, if areas that need weatherstripping are identified, technicians will give an estimate to the homeowner before any repairs or charges are made.
Weatherstripping Kits May Not Leave a Professional Look
If you are due for a renovation, you may not care if your home has grimy adhesives left over from old weatherstripping kits you bought from a DIY hardware store. Unfortunately, it is easy to start taking off the plastic to expose the adhesive side of the weatherstripping and have it end up in the wrong place. When the stripping is removed, there is often a foamy residue left behind that may require special chemicals or techniques to remove.
Worse, when you try to remove the adhesive with these techniques, it also takes the paint surrounding the window or door with it. Ultimately, the DIY weatherstripping kits are great for apartments for college students, but finer homes will have invested in the interior design, and fumbling with weatherstripping might change the appearance. Fortunately, HVAC professionals know how to get the job done without affecting your home’s style.
More Ideas for Reducing AC Unit Bills
In addition to implementing weather stripping, there are other key ways that a homeowner can significantly reduce their AC bill by having professionals make an analysis. For example, adding an air handler in the attic can improve the ability for your HVAC unit to deliver the same temperature to each room.
Along these lines, installing a dehumidifier can lessen the stress on your current HVAC unit. Modern thermostats hooked up to smartphones are also a great way to save money in the long-term. Naturally, having your current air conditioning and heating unit inspected and maintained on a regular basis can also keep your utility bills down since malfunctioning machines usually draw more energy.
Give us a call today!
For quality services in your Mobile, AL home, call Hembree Heating & Air Conditioning at (251) 259-4664. Thank you in advance for choosing us, and we look forward to hearing from you.