Create Shade For Comfort AND Energy Savings
“Keeping your home cool while living on the floor of the desert southwest in the summer heat, can be especially challenging when daytime highs are 100+ degrees and the nighttime lows are 90+ degrees. The main issue is that, with such extreme heat, the home and its surfaces do not have a chance to shed their heat gain before the sun rises again.” – Rosie Romero
Rosie recommends that before you spend money on anything in an attempt to save money on your electric bill, stop to consider ways you can shade your home. Shade can lower the temperature of the homes surfaces and the ambient temperature of the air by 15 to 20 degrees.
Shade Tips
It is obvious when talking to Rosie that he is passionate about helping people achieve their goal of keeping their home comfortable in the summer. He understands why one of the most common questions this time of year is, “how can I keep my home cool, and do it affordably?”
In this article, Rosie offers suggestions for finding hot spots in your home, strategically placing shade trees, energy rebates, and tips on sunscreen placement… READ MORE>> “Keep Your Cool!” Shade, Sunscreens, Supercooling, and More!
Planting For Shade
“Trees are best on the west and south side of the house as that is the biggest sun exposure” says Justin Rohner of Agriscaping. For gardeners, his recommendation is to plant deciduous trees on the west side of your home… FIND OUT WHY>>
Be Sure To Plant The Right Plant In The Right Spaces!
If it wasn’t clear above, plants are your shady friends – in a good way! When planting large bushes or trees, be sure to consider proximity to the foundation of your home, pool, and/or septic tank. Location is very important so don’t forget the obvious, plants will grow! Keeping the mature size of the tree or other plant in mind is essential… READ MORE >> Right Plant, Wrong Place
Creating Shade For Outdoor Living Spaces
The demand for outdoor living spaces has hit new highs. Pictures of inviting outdoor living areas grace the covers of many home magazines, and the National Association of Home Builders reports tell us that outdoor living improvements are among the top projects that capture the imagination of homeowners. The idea of entertaining family and friends or having a place of respite in our own backyard is extremely appealing.
Structural shade in the form of cantilevers, ramadas, porches and patio covers are popular options. We discuss the various types of structures and the benefits of aluminum construction in this article… READ MORE>> Elevate Your Outdoor Space By Exploring Stylish Shade Solutions!
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Homeowner Handbook | #ShadeCools
PODCAST
Weekly To Do on shading around your home for summer heat. Things to consider when “snowbirds” close up the home for the summer. Listener questions about water leaking under the edge of a metal roof, wood disintegration under a patio roof, and more!
Podcast Archive With Expanded Content and Resources
PHOTO CREDIT
- Booth Built Patio Products
- Shutterstock
