Summer Heat, Not So Hot—Update From My Home Weatherization
Posted on August 28, 2012 by Bob Jenks
Tags, Climate and Conservation
Last winter, I wrote about the weatherization my family did on our house through Clean Energy Works earlier last year. The project, which added insulation to the walls, increased insulation in the attic, sealed up air leaks, and provided a new furnace and water heater, reduced my winter gas and electric bills and made my house much more comfortable. At the time I wrote that I also expected a summer improvement.
As I write this, the temperature outside just hit 100 degrees, while the temperature inside is 83. Upstairs on the second floor the temperature is the same as the first floor. This is an amazing difference from previous years, where the downstairs would be a little cooler than outside (maybe 5 degrees) and the upstairs would be unbearable. A few days ago when the temperature hit 102 degrees, our house topped out at 81.
The insulation and air sealing have made a huge difference. Most of the increase in temperature we see is early in the day and clearly comes from the large picture windows in the east-facing living room and dining room. While the windows are energy efficient and the curtains and blinds are closed, the sun’s rays still shine though the window onto the back of the blinds and curtains, adding heat to the house. Once we get to midday and the sun is on the roof, side, and back of the house, the temperature stops increasing. If we add a tree in front of the house, I be we can maintain a temperature under 80 degrees.
To cool our house we primarily use fans at night and in the morning. While I have heard people voice concerns about security issues from using windows and fans to cool a house, we aren’t too worried. Many of our windows are high and secure, and with the coolest part of the day between 6 am and 9 am, I can open windows and set up multiple fans in the lower windows early to cool parts of the house. In addition, we have found we can open the filter on our new furnace to suck in cool basement air that circulates through the house when we turn on the furnace fan.
One of the dilemmas we face with global warming is air conditioning. If the weather is getting warmer, it increases the need for air conditioning, and it increases our use of fossil fuels to generate electricity. The huge electrical demand for air conditioning on the hottest summer days often corresponds to reduced hydroelectric generation, as Oregon’s snowpack nears depletion and stagnant air—which reduces wind power, causing us to run our least efficient coal and natural gas generating units—overall contributes to global warming.
But if through weatherization (and shade) we can avoid adding air conditioning to our homes, we can prepare for an era of warmer weather without making the problem worse. One goal of our home weatherization project was to make our house livable even on the hottest days, without having to turn to air conditioning.
It is 4:30 pm and 83 degrees in my house. My house is warm, but not hot. With a glass of ice water and a wet baseball cap on my head, I am comfortable enough. A year ago, I would have abandoned my house for the air conditioned bar hours ago!
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03/31/17 | 0 Comments | Summer Heat, Not So Hot—Update From My Home Weatherization