In Arizona, the sun can heat up your home in the winter just as much as it can in the summer. Temperatures may be hotter in the summer, but with direct sun streaming through your windows 98% of the year, the heat impact of the sun on your home is still potent. Ever notice how even in temperatures of 50º or less, you can still feel warm in the sun but notice the chill immediately upon entering the shade? The same applies to the way your home is heated from the sun’s rays. In sunny states like Arizona or Florida, the impact the sun has on your home’s temperature is a concern to keep in the mind year round. The sun can drastically change the temperature of your home and make your A/C or cooling unit work harder, costing you more money and making your home’s energy system inefficient.

So what options do you have regarding fighting the sun’s rays? There are quite a few things you can do around the house to combat how hot the sun can make your home. Some things are more expensive than others, while a few options are affordable and long lasting.

Blocking the Sun’s Rays in Your Home

Like they do with their cars, many people turn to sun-blocking solutions like tinting windows to lessen the impact of the sun. Tinting can be expensive, however, and may not fit with the look of your home. You especially do not want tints installed that will peel off later on.

Awnings

An alternative to tinting your home’s windows is covering sun-soaked windows with awnings or canopies. Awnings are attractive options to sun protection. They are customizable and most often, retractable, so on days when there is no sun or when you do want those rays to come in, you can retract your awning. Many awnings and canopies help to create an upscale look to your windows, too.

Sealing & Insulation Work

Another option to cool your home is to have it resealed and the insulation within your walls replaced. While it’s always a good idea to make sure your home is sealed properly and that all insulation is working to help make your home energy efficient, this can be a pricey and invasive endeavor.

Energy Efficient Shades

Before taking that step, investing in energy saving shades for your windows can make a drastic difference. Energy efficient shades can be installed on windows with a lot of direct sunlight to not only cool the room itself but to save your cooling system from working so hard. When a cooling system works too hard, you are no longer efficiently cooling your home, and your monthly energy bill reflects that. Energy saving shades can do so much for the energy usage in your home and do not change the look of a room so much that your design aesthetic suffers.

Sunshields

Naturally, if your A/C unit isn’t working properly, has broken down or is in the last stages of its life, your may want to replace it. However, this is possibly the most expensive energy-saving technique there is, and many people simply cannot always utilize that option. Installing energy efficient shades will help your A/C unit work a little better, but in areas near a patio, another option is to use sunshields. Like awnings, sunshields are often customizable to match the design of your patio, and are usually retractable so you can enjoy the patio in full shade or with less. They are an attractive, affordable option when you find that the area near your patio is suffering from too much sun exposure. Sunshields also come in different densities, so if your home or patio has some shade already, you can choose the amount of shade that fits your needs.

Drop Shades

Drop shades are another option that can help your home become energy efficient. Drop shades drastically help reduce temperatures within your home, allowing you to use the air conditioning less or at a higher temperature.

Drops shades are great in entertaining areas, around patios and outdoor barbecue areas. They make for an affordable sun protection system that will help you save money in the long run.

Energy Savings

Other ways to save energy usage and protect your home from the sun’s harmless rays include getting your A/C checked periodically to ensure it’s working properly, building a more ecological home with efficient insulation, paint and flooring, and installing sun-blocking curtains inside to bring the temperature down a little. Sun-blocking curtains do not create the same change or temperature drop as sunshields, awnings or drop shades do, but they can work alongside these other window treatments to make your home more protected and energy efficient.