A few weeks back, we gave you some ideas on how to prepare your home for winter. Today, we will shed some light on how to step up your energy savings even more, and make the most of your home prep efforts.
While a professional energy audit may be the most thorough (you can find information on selecting a professional via the the U.S. Department of Energy), homeowners themselves can perform an energy assessment.
- Locate and seal air leaks. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that this along can amount to a potential savings of anywhere from 5% to 30% annually, not to mention the comfort addressing drafts brings to your home. Leaks can be found wherever there are natural gaps, from doorways to areas along baseboards or electrical outlets. Remember to inspect the exterior of your home for gaps or cracks in the foundation, siding and windows.
- Check insulation. Your home — especially if it is an older one — may not have the proper level of insulation, resulting in heat loss. Check the attic for openings in pipes or ductwork. Inspect your basement, especially the crawl space or door to the exterior. Remember that for greater efficiency, your water heater, hot water pipes and furnace ducts can all be insulated.
- Updating systems and appliances. While replacing an older HCAV unit would certainly help your home’s efficiency, it may not be realistic for the budget. But even replacing light bulbs with energy efficient incandescents or LEDs can help, since lighting account for approximately 10 percent of your electricity bill. Inspect your appliances and consider unplugging certain ones when not in use or changing the setting to lower energy use.
Kruse Home Improvement has diagnostic capabilities such as thermal imaging to detect problem areas when we approach a project or renovation. This ability is especially useful on projects such as door and window replacements as well as additions to ensure that the work addresses any regions that are potentially problematic.
