Affordable Insulation Alternatives

Posted on Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

The way your house is built is responsible for a large portion of your energy costs. Homes that are properly laid out, with large roof overhangs and windows oriented to receive indirect sunlight can reduce cooling expenses by 30-40%. Prior to air conditioners, home builders built houses to optimize heating in winter and cooling in summer. But with cheap energy, the concept of passive solar design faded into the history books. Today, affordable insulation alternatives are making a comeback as homeowners are becoming more concerned about energy efficiency. Just because you already live in a house that can’t be moved does not mean you can’t take advantage of passive solar design.

Passive Solar Design

Passive solar design is trying to optimize a house so that it is comfortable without having to use electricity or fuel. Instead, the home uses architecture to rely on the natural heating and cooling ability of the environment. Passive solar design might sounds hokey and nerdy all at the same time, but it doesn’t require a rocket scientist. Here is a simple design concept: shade is cool. Simple right? All you have to do is optimize the shading your house receives to keep it much cooler. Increasing the size of your soffits, the roof overhanging your home, is one way to provide more shade. By decreasing the amount of direct sunlight hitting the walls and windows of your home, you can keep your home cooler, naturally.

The biggest rule of thumb for affordable insulation alternatives is to adapt your home to fit your climate. By fitting into the surroundings, you can take advantage of indigenous large trees, outcroppings, hills, and wind to keep your home at an optimal temperature all year around. For example, trees that drop their leaves will provide summer shade and sun warmth in the winter. You can open up the windward part of your home to provide a draft that pushes hot air out through the soffits. And a radiant barrier can block thermal radiation to keep your house 10% cooler.

Passive solar design doesn’t require thousands of dollars of investments. All you need to do is observe your surroundings and think, “How can this work better for my home?” Every little bit helps so start small. Plant bushes to block wind in winter. Install a shade above your windows. Over time, as you become more aware of how the weather is affecting the temperature of your home, you can harness it to save money and provide more comfort.

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