Have you ever heard of the passive heating and cooling strategy? Basically, passive heating and cooling is a conjunction of windows, ventilation, sun, windows, and shade to help control the temperature inside your home—all of these elements can work together to naturally maintain a greater level of comfort in the home. Here, you'll learn a little more about this strategy.
What are the benefits of passive heating and cooling?
The main benefit of utilizing this strategy is that you will enjoy energy savings on both your heating and cooling bills. Other benefits include bright, comfortable spaces inside the home to enjoy. An open floor plan with the sun shining through the windows can do a lot to make a home feel much more lively and comfortable.
Don't forget about the environmental benefits; when you use less energy to heat and cool the home, you do your part in helping reduce ozone depletion and climate change.
Start with the Windows
The windows play a big role in this strategy. They must prevent energy loss while allowing the natural heat from the sun to enter the space when needed and blocked when you don't want to heat things up.
Before you do anything, you should inspect all of the windows for air leaks. Leaks can be detected using a smoke-stick or a stick of incense. Hold the smoke stick near the window and watch for the smoke to get disrupted by a draft. You've found the leak! Use some silicone widow caulk to seal it up.
Plan for Shade
Now that you've stopped the air leaks, it's time to get to work planning how to shade the rooms when the sun gets too warm. You have all sorts of options to consider—curtains or drapes, blinds, and/or tinted or reflective window coatings.
For the most control, drapes or curtains will be the best option. You can open and close the drapes as needed. For areas that are south-facing, don't tint them if you want to utilize the natural heat from the sun during the winter. Planting trees outside to shade the home is also a great option, but it will take quite a while before they reach the height in which they will be beneficial—but you have to start somewhere.
Basically, this strategy requires you to block the sun from within your home when you are trying to keep things cool, but allow the sun to fill the home when you want to warm things up. Let Mother Nature assist you with keeping your home comfortable this year.
When you are ready to choose window treatments for your home, reach out to companies like Snyders Shades & Shutters.
Share24 October 2018
When was the last time you really looked at your home windows and thought about their condition? Although they can be easy to ignore, older windows or versions that have insulation troubles won't protect your home from steep temperature changes, pest infestations, or harsh UV sunlight. I decided to upgrade my own windows a few years ago, which is why I made this blog. Here, I have collected loads of information about window types, features, and styles, so that you don't have to guess when it comes to your brand new window installation. By using this information, your home can look better than ever.
