The Sunlight Can Offset Your Bills

SunlightWe know that the sun brings with it light and warmth. But are you using the sunlight to your advantage during the winter? Most people don’t take the 30 seconds each day to maximize the sunlight in their house, and they end up spending far more on utility bills than they really need to.

Big Sky Homes, your source for affordable housing in Billings, Montana, has put together a list of what you need to pay attention to in order to maximize the sunlight in your home, and to minimize the utility bills that you pay each month.

 

Sunlight during the Winter

Winters in Billings can tend to be a little dark. But we never get less than 8 hours and 40 minutes of daylight. We can use that to our advantage to help offset the chilly winter air.

Keep the South in Mind

No, not south of the Mason Dixon Line, the south side of your home. Since we live in a northern climate, the sun dips pretty far south during our winter. If you’re planning to build a new home, have a modular home set up, or moving a mobile home, have the most windows oriented to the south if possible.

During the winter, the sunlight will stream in from the south side of the house. It will heat everything it touches, and help to keep your home warmer during the winter. You can put your house plants, and plants that you have brought in for the winter in south facing windows to help maximize their growth.

Don’t Neglect Curtains

Your curtains serve multiple functions. When they’re open during the day, they obviously let in a lot of light. Closed, they will block the light (which you don’t want to do in the winter). But keep them closed at night to help improve the insulation of your home. You want to have something that is heavy and thick, so while those mini-blinds are nice for a minimalist, they aren’t going to do much for your insulation.

Flooring Matters

When the sun beats into a house, it will warm whatever it touches. But dark colors tend to absorb the light and light colors reflect it. If you want your home to be as warm as possible, consider putting darker flooring on areas that will receive a lot of sunlight. Tile holds onto heat, as does laminate flooring; carpet dissipates it faster.

Interior flooring designs

Sunlight during the Summer

At the opposite end of the spectrum, we get a lot of daylight during the summer months. On June 21st, we approach 16 hours of sunshine. That sun can cause our house to heat up when we don’t want it to.

Eaves and Overhangs

During the winter the sun is low enough in the sky that it will shine into the house even if you have the appropriate eaves. During the summer, the sun is high enough in the sky that the sunlight is blocked from coming directly in. Those eaves help protect from rain water getting close to the house, and keep unwanted sunlight out.

Better Windows Help

Windows come in all sorts of grades. The latest technologies include reflective materials built right into the window. This means that when the sun shines in from up high, the majority is reflected back out. The result is that not as many of the rays make it in.

Keep Those Curtains Drawn

Just as the curtains help insulate to keep the cold out in the winter, they help keep the hot out in the summer. When the sun is coming up or going down, keep those heavy curtains closed up. This will ensure that your house doesn’t heat up any more than necessary.

Use the Night Air

Open up those windows at night! Nearly every night in Billings gets down to a comfortable temperature. Open the windows and use a fan or two in order to move the air through the house. The lack of sunlight will help to cool everything down so you don’t have to turn on your air conditioner as early the next day.

Sunshine

Big Sky Homes Has Energy Efficient Homes

The best way to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer is to have a highly efficient home. But why spend the high prices associated with a stick built house?

Big Sky Homes can get you into a brand new house at an affordable rate. The best part is that you get a house built exceptionally well, and it is delivered to wherever you want. Come by our lot at 750 Parkway Ln. to see what models we have here; and to get started customizing your new home.

[googleMap name=”Big Sky Homes” description=”Big Sky Homes in Billings” width=”700″ height=”400″]750 Parkway Lane Billings, MT 59101[/googleMap]