Georgia Humidity Makes it Tough to Stay Cool
Yes, the girls are beautiful in the south, and a big reason is our humid environment!
So, while we have beautiful southern belles, we over-work our air conditioners to keep us comfortable.
Here’s my TOP 11 WAYS to DRY OUT, keep your cool, and hopefully get a little bit cooler…
1. When you replace your shingles, get a lighter color
2. When you repaint your home, get a lighter color.
3. When you upgrade your insulation, go the 2nd mile, and install a LOT MORE than the minimum code requirement.
a. Loose-fill attic insulation: Installing Cellulose, start at R-40 minimum, and strongly consider R-50 or in extreme cases, R-60. Airseal the attic penetrations first.
b. Floor insulation: Only use Spray Foam insulation
c. Wall insulation, Only use dense-pack (or damp-sprayed) cellulose, or spray foam insulation.
d. Got HVAC in your attic? Only consider spray foam encapsulation. Seal & insulate your attic with open cell spray foam. This is a BIG game-changer
e. Got HVAC in your crawlspace? Consider a sealed & insulated crawlspace, using a minimum of 12-Mil reinforced poly vapor barrier, with closed cell spray foam on the foundation walls. 20-Mil vapor barrier is even better. Yep… Game Changer.
4. Got old, inefficient windows? Upgrade them. You don’t have to get exotic and spend a ton of money. Replacement windows are reasonably priced, and in most cases, easy to install. Buy the windows, and hire an installer. Be sure to airseal. You’ll save $1000’s.
5. Seal & balance your HVAC ducts. 6. Move the furniture & drapes from blocking your vents!
7. Use thermal shades & blinds to help manage the heat passing through glass.
8. Check your exhaust fans (kitchen range hood & bathrooms). Do they have dampers installed, to block downdrafts? How about the chimney?
9. Use expanding foam to seal the floor penetrations between your crawlspace (basement) and the living space. This is a BIG game-changer.
10. Got old-style recessed light fixtures? Convert those drafty energy hogs to the sealed, LED units. It’s a cheap & easy upgrade. No more uncontrolled air infiltration, and they cost pennies a day to operate. They’ll outlast you in lifetime.
11. As the house gets improved, consider installing a Whole House Dehumidifier.
Follow the list, and do what you can, as the budget allows. Increasingly, you’ll improve your home’s air-tightness, and that results in less humidity trespassing into your conditioned living space.
Lower humidity = easier for your AC to keep the house comfortable. Ignore what the realtor said about light-colored shingles… lighter shingles mean a cooler attic.
Got questions? Use email to reach me, … Bob@Birdinsulation.com I’m here to help!
