Home Improvement Through Energy Efficiency
Shelby Bach
more expensive, any chance to lower utility bills by making a home
more energy-efficient is worth investigating. While many energy-saving
solutions require a change of lifestyle, daily upkeep, or are very
expensive to install, there are some simple things that can be done
around the house that will quickly and conveniently make a difference
in energy bills. In this article, we've outlined some home improvement
ideas that work.
Insulation
According to a report by Energy Star, home heating and cooling costs
can be cut by 20% by properly sealing and insulating a home. A one-
time investment can permanently benefit your home and save you money.
Attics
Heat rises in a home, with warm air leaving from the attic and upper
levels and pulling in from the lower levels through the basement,
crawlspace, and outside. Reduce the conditioned air exiting from the
attic by insulating all areas and replace any insulation that is old
or moist. Check that the entire floor is sealed underneath the
insulation, and caulk or use spray foam insulation on any cracks or
crevices.
Using 10-12 inches of insulation on an attic floor is standard, giving
it an R-38 insulation rating. However, adding enough insulation to
bring it to R-50 or more is recommended. Attic stairways are also a
major escape route for warm air. The gaps created by an attic stairway
can amount to as much as 40 square inches! Self-adhesive foam tape can
be run along the upper edges of the attic staircase door to help
reduce this leakage. Use eyehooks or a latch to jam the door against
the foam when it's not in use.
There are also many places around the home itself where air can leak
in. Use caulk or spray foam to seal holes where wires enter into the
basement and main house area. Seal around all these cables, pipes and
other crevices. Make sure to brush away any dirt or cobwebs before
applying caulk or spray foam.
Basements and Crawlspaces
Insulating the basement is a very effective way to add energy-
efficiency to your home. Because water vapor comes into the basement
through the concrete walls, this insulation should be water resistant
and include a vapor barrier. Otherwise, it can become a habitat for
mold and the moisture will ruin the insulation.
Encapsulating a crawlspace is also a fantastic way to make a home more
energy-efficient. By sealing crawlspace vents, warm air is prevented
from entering in the summer, where it would add humidity to the home.
Sealing crawlspace vents also keeps cold air out that would otherwise
seep into the house in the winter. A seal is created between the
crawlspace walls and the air in a home that protects pipes, water
heater, and heating ducts from cold.
Plumbing
The water heater and pipes can lose a great deal of heat as they run
through a damp basement and especially in a cold, vented crawlspace.
Insulating the pipes and covering the water heater with an inexpensive
insulative blanket can help the keep the heat where it should be.
Heating and/or cooling vents that have been installed improperly can
leak 25% of the air they vent into the crawlspace, basement and attic.
Have a professional clean the vents and test them for leaks that need
to be sealed.
Windows and Doors
As much as 30-35% of the heat in a home is lost through the windows.
Glass panes are the weakest link in a home's insulation, and on cold
days, it can feel uncomfortable near the windows in even a properly
heated home.
If the windows are broken or have cracked panes, then they should be
replaced. Single-paned steel cellar windows that are drafty and
rusting also lose a great deal of heat and should be replaced with
vinyl, double-thermopane windows. Buying windows with a Low-E coating
will take advantage of sunlight to keep warmth in the home in the
winter and cool temperatures in the summer. In the basement,
installing proper window wells with covers will protect basement
windows from blowing winds as well as help prevent flooding.
Installing storm windows and weather stripping over normal windows
will do wonders for keeping heat in and outside sounds out. Weather
stripping caulk is clear and designed to strip off without damaging
paint when it's no longer needed. Thick, high quality drapes can add
beauty and insulation to windows as well- especially if the curtains
are drawn during cold weather. Weather stripping the doors is also a
fantastic way to keep conditioned air in the house while making a home
cozier, quieter, and more secure. And according to USA Today, United
States residents can get up to a $500 tax credit on efficient doors
and $200 on windows! (Source = http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/columnist/block/2005-08-01-breaks_x.htm)
Appliances
Proper care of appliances will save a great deal of money in the long
run. Most effective maintenance requires a one-time repair or an
annual service and should be no trouble at all. Keep appliances in
good order, and they will continue to perform at their peak.
Furnace filters are inexpensive and easy to install. They should be
replaced every 30-45 days (more often if there are pets living in the
home). This will keep the air circulating through the house more
freely and will stop the blower from having to work harder to move the
air through a clogged filter. Severely clogged filters can overheat
and lead to premature damage in their compressor. Oil furnaces should
be serviced and their parts lubricated once a year. Gas-fired
furnaces, boilers, and air conditioning systems should be checked
every two years. In the summer when the furnace is not running, turn
off the pilot light so that fuel isn't being used to keep it lit
during the warm months.
When a light bulbs goes out, replace it with a florescent light.
Florescent lights last ten times as long as regular bulbs and are four
times as efficient. Install florescent lights in drop ceilings in the
basement for optimum light and efficiency. Replacing outside
floodlights with high-pressure sodium lamps will produce a higher-
efficiency light that will attract fewer insects because the light is
harder for them to see.
Keep refrigerators away from the wall to circulate the air well. Dust
will interfere with the heat exchange coils and prevent the fan from
working properly- clean this at least once a year. Defrost the
refrigerator regularly to keep it at its best and to increase its
life. When cooking food, cover the pots and pans with a lid to save
nearly 50% of the lost heat. When doing laundry, remember that colored
clothes do not need to be washed in warm or hot water- this just
wastes energy and causes the colors to fade.
Dehumidifying air in a home will make it much more energy-efficient to
cool. The lion's share of an air conditioning's job is to dehumidify.
Install a self-draining and energy-efficient dehumidifier to save on
air conditioning, and take care not to block air conditioning and
heating vents with furniture or drapes. Keep the doors open to rooms
that are normally in use to allow conditioned air to move easily
around the area. Shut off rooms that are not regularly used. In the
summer, a ceiling fan will give the room a more comfortable feel. Run
the fan slowly in the winter to move the warmest air from the ceiling
to the main area of the room.
Making your Home Energy-Efficient From the Bottom Up!
Basement Systems and Total Basement Finishing are dedicated to adding
energy efficiency from the bottom up. We can insulate your basement
walls and floor and dehumidify the space, making a cleaner, healthier
living space. Our SaniDry basement air system can dehumidify your
basement while cleaning the air of particles as small as two microns-
smaller than mold spores and dust mite feces. Our ThermalDry Floor
Matting can insulate your basement floor, making it ten degrees warmer
than your concrete while providing a vapor barrier that keeps humidity
out of your basement and protects any carpet laid on it from mold, rot
and mildew.
Adding insulation to your furnace, pipes and ducts is a great way to
protect your home from the cold air of a crawlspace, but doing so does
not protect your home from the air that seeps up through the
crawlspace into your home. Basement Systems can seal off your
crawlspace vents and encapsulate the area with our CleanSpace
Crawlspace Encapsulation system. Our tough 20-mil plastic will keep
your crawlspace walls and floor from letting humidity into your home
and will discourage pests and insects. It installs in about a day, and
once installed, your crawlspace will be usable as storage.
Dropping the humidity below 60% with CleanSpace and a SaniDry will
make mold go dormant and stop it from creating spores. Additionally,
dust mites will not have enough moisture to live on and will not send
their fecal material into the air, which would then travel into the
main area of your home. A dry crawlspace will be safer from rot and
your entire house will be a healthier place.
Secret For Generating Free Electricity: http://groups.google.de/group/homeenergymi/