The US census bureau puts the world population at just shy of 7 billion people. Of these 7 billion, the number who will pay your utility bills is probably even smaller than the number who have been in your kitchen. Today we’re going to kick off the first in a series looking at people who don’t pay your utility bills, and the advice they give. Please note, although the individuals in this series will remain unnamed, these stories are based on situations Tay River has actually encountered.
Neighbor Who Owns a Truck Says Open an Upstairs Window Because Hot Air Rises
Everyone knows that hot air rises, right? Of course! So it makes perfect sense that on the hottest days, you should take a 2-pronged strategy to beating the heat.
- You’re definitely going to need air conditioning. Obviously. But what if that’s not enough?
- On really hot days you’re going to need to a bit more punch. So if hot air rises, wouldn’t it make sense to open some upstairs windows, heck, maybe even put a box fan in the windows. Wouldn’t that force the heat right out the window? Obviously.
This is a really bad strategy for ‘saving’ energy. Air that’s pushed out of buildings is always compensated for by air being pulled into buildings. So it will result in a lot of hot air being drawn into the building. Furthermore, Stack effect is typically the biggest driver of air leakage into buildings. The summertime pressure on conditioned buildings forces air downward through the building (which feels a lot like heat rising but isn’t).
So don’t listen listen to your neighbors who give this advice, even if he owns a truck. And remember, he doesn’t pay your utility bills!
