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Believe it or not, you can save more than 30 percent on your utility bills by simply finding and eradicating small openings and alleviating drafts that may exist in your home. The best way to figure out where the air in coming in and the heat is going out is by using a candle, a piece of thread or an incense stick to determine where air infiltration and leakage occurs. In unfinished areas of your home, dirty insulation is a sure sign of air exposure.
If drafts occur around your windows and doors, use caulking or weather stripping to fill in the unwanted spaces. Both are affordable and easy to use. Even if you have installed weather stripping or caulked these spaces in the past, it is important to revisit these areas annually. For drafty windows, you may even consider applying a thin plastic weather barrier on the inside of your windows during the winter months. If plastic covered windows cramp your style, purchase new heavy drapes or curtains to dress up your window and keep the cold air out.
Although leaky windows and drafty doors are the usual suspects when it comes to energy loss, spaces when pipes, ductwork and wiring pass through an exterior wall also contribute to energy loss. Use spray foam or caulking to fill in these gaps.
Just like we can keep ourselves warm and cozy with extra layers during the winter months, our home’s mechanical systems can also benefit from extra layers.
By design, your water heater is insulated, but it can always use an extra layer of protection. You can reduce heat loss without spending a lot of money by purchasing an insulating blanket for the unit. You can even insulate it yourself with fiberglass insulation.
In addition, you can insulate your water pipes, particularly if they exist in unheated areas of your home. Hot water pipes without insulation will result in heats loss and ultimately cause your water heater to work harder than it should. For cold water pipes, insulation protects against freezing and sweat. Simply purchase affordable foam pipe insulation sleeves and cover joints and tricky angles with vinyl duct tape.
* Remember to check the filters on your heating and cooling systems monthly and replace them regularly. Keeping up with annual maintenance and service is the key.
* When possible, replace any incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs which are more energy efficient and last longer too!
If you have money to burn, making substantial improvements in your home’s energy efficiency will save you money in the long run. The following is a list of home improvements that will help increase the value of your home and save you money on future utility costs.
Affordable Tips to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Regardless of your income level, homeownership can take quite a bite out of your budget. With energy costs on the rise, maintaining a home has become increasingly difficult and quite costly, particularly if your home is not as energy efficient as it could be. Thankfully, there are many ways to make your home more energy efficient without breaking the bank. On the other hand, if you have some extra money kicking around, there are new technologies and products on the market that can improve your home’s value as well as act as an insurance policy against inflated utility bills.The Basics
Dealing with Those Pesky Leaks
Believe it or not, you can save more than 30 percent on your utility bills by simply finding and eradicating small openings and alleviating drafts that may exist in your home. The best way to figure out where the air in coming in and the heat is going out is by using a candle, a piece of thread or an incense stick to determine where air infiltration and leakage occurs. In unfinished areas of your home, dirty insulation is a sure sign of air exposure.
If drafts occur around your windows and doors, use caulking or weather stripping to fill in the unwanted spaces. Both are affordable and easy to use. Even if you have installed weather stripping or caulked these spaces in the past, it is important to revisit these areas annually. For drafty windows, you may even consider applying a thin plastic weather barrier on the inside of your windows during the winter months. If plastic covered windows cramp your style, purchase new heavy drapes or curtains to dress up your window and keep the cold air out.
Although leaky windows and drafty doors are the usual suspects when it comes to energy loss, spaces when pipes, ductwork and wiring pass through an exterior wall also contribute to energy loss. Use spray foam or caulking to fill in these gaps.
Blankets Can Keep Mechanicals Up to Snuff
Just like we can keep ourselves warm and cozy with extra layers during the winter months, our home’s mechanical systems can also benefit from extra layers.
By design, your water heater is insulated, but it can always use an extra layer of protection. You can reduce heat loss without spending a lot of money by purchasing an insulating blanket for the unit. You can even insulate it yourself with fiberglass insulation.
In addition, you can insulate your water pipes, particularly if they exist in unheated areas of your home. Hot water pipes without insulation will result in heats loss and ultimately cause your water heater to work harder than it should. For cold water pipes, insulation protects against freezing and sweat. Simply purchase affordable foam pipe insulation sleeves and cover joints and tricky angles with vinyl duct tape.
Other Affordable Options
Maintenance is important when it comes to improving your home’s energy efficiency.
* Remember to check the filters on your heating and cooling systems monthly and replace them regularly. Keeping up with annual maintenance and service is the key.
* When possible, replace any incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs which are more energy efficient and last longer too!
Money toward Efficiency is a Worthy Investment:
If you have money to burn, making substantial improvements in your home’s energy efficiency will save you money in the long run. The following is a list of home improvements that will help increase the value of your home and save you money on future utility costs.
