One of the most common questions we hear is, “Is it okay to leave my windows open while my AC is on?”. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this question. Some people believe that leaving windows open allows the heat from the AC to escape and cause a temperature rise in the house. Others believe that opening windows during the summer will allow more light into the home, which will help you save energy and money. It all comes down to what might be best for your specific situation.
So What Will Happen If I Don’t Close My Windows During The Summer?
If you choose not to close your windows during the summer (which many choose not to do because they don’t want to lose any air conditioning or cross ventilation), then you will have an increased temperature inside your house when the A/C is running. This can lead to increased energy usage, humidity, and mold growth within the walls. By doing this, you are basically increasing the amount of moisture within your home. So if you have a very humid environment like Florida, Georgia, or Alabama, you may notice significant problems with condensation.
How Much Heat Can Escape From Your House With Your Windows Opened?
There are two factors here: how much heat can escape through your windows and the amount of time you keep them closed. Let’s take these one at a time. The first factor is pretty easy to figure out. Most studies show that only 6–10% of the total heat from your central air system escapes through the window as long as they are closed. That means 90-90% of the heat from the air conditioner has to get into your house before it leaves. The rest goes up, down, and around!
Now let’s look at the second factor: How long do you keep your windows closed? For example, if you live in Texas and you keep your windows closed during the day and open your garage door at night, the study shows that about 35% of the heat that comes in from outside doesn’t even make it past your windows. In other words, 75% of the heat gets trapped inside your house without ever making it outside!
Closing your windows at night would definitely increase energy consumption because it would stop the flow of fresh air into the house. However, closing your windows for just a few hours at a time won’t affect energy use much. We would recommend keeping them shut for 8-12 hours a day from May through September. Why 12 hours? Well, it’s simple. After 12 hours of being closed, the home becomes too warm to stay cool overnight.
When you open your windows, the air outside the home must enter your home. When you balance the hot air coming in against the cold air going out, you are always losing some of the heat. So the fact that you open your windows increases the amount of heat entering your home. For Installation and repair or heating units, air conditioning, and HVAC Northern VA and Sterling VA, contact YAZD Mechanical.