Outdoor Fixes for Indoor Comfort – Sobieski Services | DE, NJ, PA, MD

Outdoor Fixes for Indoor Comfort

Early Morning Photo of Backyard

One of the best ways to increase indoor comfort without touching the thermostat is to prevent the heat from entering your home in the first place. Fixing the air leaks, using sunshine to your advantage, and taking care of your air conditioner will help you lower the cooling load indoors.

    • Clean the outdoor condenser. A clean and unobstructed condenser will cool your home more easily than one that doesn’t have adequate airflow or whose coils are dirty. As summer progresses, inspect the condenser periodically and remove any dead vegetation or obstructions within two feet of its sides.

If lawn surrounds the condenser, consider xeriscaping it to reduce the amount of plant debris that collects on or near the condenser. A xeriscape substitutes lawn for easy-to-clean hard surfaces and low-debris plant materials.

    • Check for air leaks. Gaps and cracks around window and exterior door frames can make it harder and more expensive for you to maintain indoor comfort. If you suspect you have excessive air infiltration, invest in an energy audit that will pinpoint precisely where you need to address air leakage. Sealing the leaks requires a minimum investment in both time and money and provides a significant and long-term payoff.
    • Keep the sun off the windows. Unless you have Energy Star windows, you could have a good deal of thermal energy entering your home from south- or west-facing windows. The best place to stop radiant heat is from the outside, and you can do so by placing shutters or awnings over the windows, or using shade screens that you can easily take down when the weather cools.

Planting deciduous shrubs and trees around the windows utilizes passive solar cooling and heating throughout the year, an effective way to boost your home’s energy efficiency.

These tips will help you increase indoor comfort throughout the year and lower energy bills.

Our goal at Sobieski Services is to help customers in New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware learn more about comfort and energy, especially HVAC and plumbing issues, to save money and live in a healthier and more comfortable home.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

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