Hot weather is an opportunity to sunbathe on your deck or relax inside with the AC running, but you should also consider how the summer heat affects your home. Besides making your energy bills go up, hot weather can take a toll on some construction materials. Luckily, you can harness the summer sun for your benefit with solar panels
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Higher temperatures, higher AC usage
Air conditioner units use around 6% of all the electricity produced in the US, costing homeowners a whopping $29 billion.
A central AC unit typically uses 3,500 watts of power, and if you’re paying close to the national average of $0.13 per kWh, running this appliance for six hours a day would cost you around $2.70 a day.
Window units use less power compared to central air. These appliances use between 1,440 and 1,500 watts, which means that if you operate a window unit for six hours a day, you would spend $0.40 to $1 a day.
These numbers might not seem like much, but they will add up and you could spend around $80 a month if you run your central AC unit every day for six hours.
Your fridge can also use more power if you keep opening it on a hot day, and you might want to turn your range hood on more often to get hot air out of your kitchen. Plus, you will have to account for energy providers who increase their rates in the summer or those who have peak hours with a higher rate due to the fact that everyone is running their AC unit at the same time.
Heat damage is real
Besides immediate energy costs, the summer sun can lead to more long-term expenses. For example, roofing materials like asphalt shingles can develop cracks when they’re exposed to high temperatures, and hot air can build up in your attic and worsen this issue. Replace damaged shingles and improve ventilation in your attic to help avoid this.
Another issue you might encounter is the soil around your home can dry up and shrink, which can result in damage to your foundation. You can prevent this problem by using sprinklers to keep the soil moist.
Take control of how the summer heat affects your home with solar
The good thing about summer is that you can maximize the output of your solar power system. Typically, panels can generate 250 to 400 watts, but this number varies depending on sun exposure and other factors.
Indeed, homeowners who invest in a solar power setup benefit from more hours of sun exposure in the summer and can see their output increase per panel. This can produce enough energy to offset your increased electricity usage, and you should also get enough energy credits to lower your bills for a few months and cover the costs of any home maintenance and repairs.
Dividend Finance offers affordable financing solutions to make solar energy more accessible to everyone and help you take advantage of how the summer heat affects your home. Reach out to your Contractor today to learn more about our solutions and find out how much energy you could generate with a solar setup!
