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Great Home and Garden Improvement Tips

Hi! My name is Gary and this is my home and garden improvement blog. My passion for working on my home and garden began when I bought my first house. It was a run down little place in the suburbs of Sydney. Even though the place was in a bit of a state, it was in a fantastic location. I spent many hours reading up on DIY and gardening tips before setting about improving the place. It was a lot of hard work but it was also a lot of fun. I learnt a lot during that time so I decided to start this blog.

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Energy Efficiency | 3 Tips To Prepare Your Home For Intelligent Air Conditioning

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You've finally decided to indulge in air conditioning for your home. But that also means an increase in your energy bills. Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals that the average Australian household spends nearly $39 per week on energy bills--that's a whopping $2028 per year, when you consider fifty-two weeks in the year. While air conditioning has almost become a necessity, you can take steps to ensure that you use energy efficiently. Here are three tips to prepare your home for intelligent air conditioning.

Insulate All Escape Routes

One of the best ways to reduce your energy consumption by up to 25% is to insulate your home against air leakages. This is an important factor when it comes to retaining the cold air in your room and keeping the hot air out. Escape routes like windows, doorways, airlocks, vents, exhaust fans, wall penetrations and skylights must be insulated properly to maintain comfortable temperatures. Spray polyurethane foam insulation is a highly effective solution to seal cavities, vents and openings. The foam is created through the mixing and reacting of chemicals and can expand or contract to conceal air openings, prevent moisture from entering the room and block cool air from escaping your home. Insulated doubled-paned windows are another great choice to prevent hot external air from entering the home. 

Install Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are extremely effective for cooling homes. They use only 100 watts, as compared to air conditioners that use up to 2500 watts of electricity. When ceiling fans work effectively in conjunction with air conditioners, your running costs can reduce by nearly 40%. On a moderately warm day, you may only need to run your ceiling fan to stay comfortable. On a hot day, you can decrease your air conditioning usage with the help of a ceiling fan by running it at more optimum temperatures.

Keep The Sun Away

Sunlight absorbed by your house through the walls, windows and ceilings is the primary creator of heat in your home. To maintain comfortable cool temperatures in your home, it's important that the harsh sunlight doesn't directly enter your rooms. Install blinds or curtains, and keep them closed during the hot parts of the day to block direct sunlight. They must fit close to windows without leaving any gaps to prevent the hot sun rays from entering any part of the room. Dark colours are known to absorb heat. Painting your walls and roofs with light colours will keep your house cooler, since lighter colours reflect the heat back out. With cooler interiors, you can use your air conditioner more efficiently. 

Now that you've made the decision to purchase an air conditioning unit, follow these tips to ensure that you maximise its efficiency to the fullest. Consult a local professional, like Four Seasons Gas and Air, for more information.

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