The Basics of a More Energy-efficient Home

We often get asked, “What can we do to lower our heating bills and make our home more energy efficient?”

Well, you’re probably already familiar with the basics, such as making sure you have good insulation, good quality windows, and that all gaps and joints are sealed. Taking measures like these can actually reduce the costs of heating your home by up to 20%!

But there are other benefits as well. You’ll also reduce drafts and maintain more even room temperatures, instead of having hot and cold spots in your house. Plus, you’ll control the moisture in the home, and reduce mold and mildew, which will extend the life of your home’s building materials and possibly help reduce allergic problems.

So it’s important to keep in mind the basics of home heating efficiency:

Windows. A lot of heat is lost through windows. You can help prevent some of this by installing weather stripping for moveable joints and caulk for non-moving parts, to stop or reduce air leakage.  You can also install a window kit to the inside of your windows, which will help keep cold air out and warm air in.  (Ask your hardware store about window kits.)  And if your windows are old, you may want to consider installing new, more energy-efficient windows.

Insulation.  Check and make sure your home is well insulated, and that all gaps and holes where air can leak through are sealed.  You may need to hire a professional contractor who will use a blower door test or other methods to determine where air may be leaking. If you have a crawl space, make sure that the insulation inside it is dry. When insulation gets wet, this reduces its effectiveness significantly.

Ductwork. Check out your ductwork to see if you can detect any leakage. If you do feel air leaking at the joints, you can use silver metal duct tape to seal them. This alone could save up to 10% off your heating costs.

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