Summertime in Florida means no school, family vacations, days spent by the pool and, of course, high temperatures. While many of us Floridians would rather deal with a 90-degree summer day than a heavy snowstorm, the warm weather becomes less ideal when heat seeps inside your home, driving up the energy bill.
Fortunately, staying cool and comfortable in your home doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune running your air conditioning system from June through September. Here are three tips for improving energy efficiency in your home to keep your energy costs low and your comfort level high this summer.
1. Invest in a high-efficiency heating and air conditioning system.
Your heating and air conditioning system can account for more than half of your energy costs, especially during the summer. So having high-efficiency AC in your home can make all the difference.
The efficiency of a heating and air conditioning system is rated by its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). In Florida, heating and air conditioning systems are required to have a SEER rating of 14 or higher to be considered energy efficient.
In many of Lennar’s communities throughout Tampa Bay, homes come equipped with a 15-SEER heating and air conditioning system from Lennox®, with a complete manufacturer’s warranty. Further improving efficiency, many homes also come with an energy-saving programmable thermostat.
2. Install energy-efficient windows and use window treatments strategically.
Large windows that allow natural light to enter the home have become a popular design trend. However, along with sunlight, large windows may also let in a lot of unwanted heat. Energy efficient Low-E dual-pane windows, which come included with many Lennar homes, are designed to let in natural light while keeping the cool air in and the hot air out.
Strategic use of window treatments, such as blinds and curtains, can also help keep your home cool. To minimize heat transfer trough windows, try closing east-facing blinds and curtains in the morning and west-facing blinds and curtains in the afternoon.
All Lennar homes come move-in ready with 2-inch designer blinds, providing homebuyers with another way to maximize energy efficiency.
3. Be sure your home has plenty of insulation.
Insulation can have a huge impact on your energy costs. Without enough of it, your AC system will have to work a lot harder to keep your home cool, which means more money going out the door.
The effectiveness of insulation is determined by the material’s R-value, which is the capacity to resist heat flow. In warm climates like Florida, insulation is considered energy efficient at an R-value of 30. To keep air-conditioned spaces consistently comfortable while lowering energy costs, Lennar installs R30 insulation in all of its Tampa Bay homes.
These are just a few of the upgraded energy-saving features that come with Lennar’s “Everything’s Included” approach. To learn more, visit ei.lennar.com.
