What do rising temperatures mean for homeowners?

One of the biggest and most worrying earth and climate news is that the planet’s average temperature is steadily rising. A few decades ago, climate change was more of a theoretical problem for the average family, one that did not appear to affect them directly and that required solutions at industrial or organization levels. Today, things are different. People from all corners of the world are experiencing the harmful effects of rising temperatures. Recently, the UK initiated a national health warning as temperatures reached the highest values since 1076. More worryingly, in India, which has experienced a 0.5 degrees Celsius increase in temperature, heat waves have become so strong that they are classified as deadly. Now more than ever, the average person is affected by climate change and is starting to wonder how it affects their life in the long run and what they can do to join the fight against it.

Increased risk of flooding

Higher temperatures do not lead only to heatwaves, but also to flooding. Because warm air holds more moisture, rainfall is heavier. In the United States, the intensity of precipitations has increased considerably since the 1950s and it is expected to grow by 40%  by the turn of the next century. The most affected areas are in the Northeast and Midwest, where the incidence of heavy downpours has increased by a staggering 67%. Skeptics of global warming should know that heavy rains do not negate global warming. Although the amount of rain fallen is higher, the overall amount of rainfall per year is still under normal levels.

As a result of heavy rains, people living in affected areas are confronted with issues that did not exists a few decades ago, when most homes were built. While new properties are being built in such a way as to be more durable and sustain heavy water damage, older properties are more problematic and require upgrading. The need for repairs and maintenance is especially for the drainage system.

The need for thermal insulation

Increasing summer temperatures leads to a decrease in comfort, as well as additional health risks for elderly people suffering from cardiovascular conditions. As mentioned previously, houses built in the past decades did not face the same thermal issues, so people living in them rely mainly on air conditioning during summer. However, doctors warn that this is only a temporary  solution and that these cooling units could pose health issues in the long run. Thermal shock is the biggest issue; people stay indoors, setting their air-con at very low temperatures and then they go outside, where the temperature is 15 degrees higher, and this puts their body in shock.

Ideally, experts say, homes should have built-in thermal insulation, which not only keeps the temperature inside at comfortable levels, but also helps homeowners rely less on air conditioning. One popular method of insulating your home is with spray foam, a cheap, yet effective material. Opting for this type of insulation keeps you cool and comfortable during a heatwave and helps you save money on energy bills. When installed efficiently, insulation can lead to a 40% decrease in bills, not to mention that it indirectly helps the environment by reducing emissions. During winter, you will enjoy the same advantages. As the walls of the house are surrounded by a protective layer, warm air will not get out and you will no longer experience drafts, mold and condensation.

Old homes that already have insulation should benefit from an upgrade, because the field of home insulation has seen many innovations in the past years and the materials used in the past are no longer that efficient and safe.

Energy efficient appliances

Investment such as home insulation reduce emissions and energy loss, but electrical appliances are still necessary to sustain modern life. In the hottest areas in the country, people still need air conditioning units, but it’s important to be very strict during the buying process and choose only energy efficient AC units. Otherwise, the money you save by installing insulation will be lost. Some of the features you should be looking at include auto climate control and an easy to use lift-out filer to maintain air quality. Air conditioning remains the most practical cooling method in buildings that cannot be improved in another way, but, fortunately, the appliances released in the past years have become better and better.