Category: Blog

A dog in front of fan | First Defense Insulation

Tips to Keeping Your Home Cool

Posted on | by scmedia

We understand the frustration (especially in the heat of Texas summers) of living in a house that is TOO hot. While we can provide substantial solutions such as insulation services, duct sealing, and more? we also want to offer some free advice on ways to keep your home cool. Here are a few tips to consider!

 

Block the Light!?

For natural light lovers, this one might be hard to follow. If your windows are letting in sunlight throughout the day, it could be adding a few degrees to that area of your house. Keeping your blinds shut and using energy-efficient curtains will almost instantly cool off the room, especially during the afternoon hours.

 

Keep the Doors Shut!

Think of opening your front and back doors like opening the refrigerator. Every time you open a door, you?re letting cool air out and hot air in. If you grew up in Texas, you might recall the phrase, ?Shut the door you?re letting the bought air out!?. Here?s a trick! If you have a garage door entry, use this to enter your home instead of the front door. This is one way to keep your ?bought air? inside.?

 

Chores, at Night!

Using appliances like your washer, dryer, and dishwasher can chalk up some additional heat inside of your home. Save these chores for when the sun begins to set instead of running everything in the middle of the day. At all times, ventilate while you cook and take shorter showers.?

 

And when all else fails, call us!

House Top | First Defense Insulation

Just Add Insulation?

Posted on | by scmedia

Just adding insulation won’t solve the problem. And here’s why!?

Insulation is a material that has been designed to ensure efficiency by keeping heat out of your home. There are several types of insulation materials such as cellulose, foam, and fiberglass. These materials work to slow the heat flow and reduce radiant heat gain.?

When you’re experiencing warmer temperatures in certain areas throughout the house, or fighting to keep the house cool in general, it makes sense to question the effectiveness of your current insulation installation! However, it doesn’t always make sense to just add insulation.?

Your house could be letting in heat in areas that you cannot recognize. For example, without proper air sealing, your home could be letting in hot air and letting cold air out. This air leakage will negatively impact your home?s energy efficiency and comfort. Gaps and cracks in the attic are an unavoidable part of homeownership. There are several reasons why these spaces form, but every home is subject to the airflow that can occur through these areas.?

Another installation to consider is your home?s ductwork. Most homeowners are aware of the importance of their furnace, air conditioner, and insulation for their home?s energy efficiency, but too many homeowners forget about their ductwork. Uninsulated, leaky ductwork will cause your HVAC system to be inefficient and will negatively impact your home?s comfort, especially if the ducts are in the attic.

At First Defense Insulation, we properly evaluate every area of the home to determine exactly where the problem lies and how to best adjust it to fit your needs! We guarantee the fairest prices, professional customer service, and are happy to answer any questions you may have. Give us a call!