The best and cheapest way to lower your cooling expenses in the summer is to move north and close your house up for the summer…but seriously, the most energy efficient homes in the northern hemisphere are oriented on the site to have the building facing south with proper eaves and overhangs over windows to block out the summer sun.  The east and west sides of the building should be the narrow side so as to absorb as little sun as possible in the morning and especially the afternoons. 

Properly shading a home with native trees that have leaves in the summer can reduce temperatures in the house by up to 21°.  Other strategies for blocking the sun are shutters and trellises.  You can also buy sunshades that are similar to roll-up blinds except they are attached on the exterior of the building in front of a window.  Interior shading does not keep the heat out of your home as effectively as exterior shading.

Another feature to strongly consider is the buildings insulation, especially in the attic where most of the heat gain is realized and transferred into the living areas.  Check to see if your insulation was installed properly.  Improperly installed insulation and areas without any or adequate amounts can have huge effects on a buildings comfort and your energy expenses both in summer and winter.

Windows are the biggest energy drains for a home.  Approximately 25% of energy used for space heating and cooling offsets heat loss or gain from windows.    If you are planning to replace windows be sure to get “Low-e” windows (low emittance), which is a glazing on the glass that helps improve both heating and cooling performance.  Also check the frame material for low conductivity.

Other ways to save money on summer property operation expenses is on your landscape and watering needs.  First, if you’re going to landscape, use native, drought tolerant plants.  If you must water, do it in the very early morning or after sunset.  By watering at these times of day you get minimal evaporation and more water to the roots of the plant.  Consider a timer that goes on in the middle of the night if you have an irrigation system.  You will not only save water and money but you will help the environment by reducing water use.

Here are some great resources from EPA, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Department of Energy that relate to these topics:

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/29267-3.3.pdf

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy01osti/27954.pdf

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=windows_doors.pr_crit_windows

http://www.energycodes.gov/implement/pdfs/lib_ks_energy-efficient_windows.pdf

http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/info/homes/buyingwindows.html

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/water/water_bmp3.html

Robert J. Israel is an Eco Broker certified Green Realtor in Prescott Arizona. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .