Your fridge is responsible for about 8% of your energy usage in your home so maintenance is important.
You should clean by vacuuming the coils at least every 6 months. This will help improve the efficiency of the refrigerator. Also check to make sure the seals are clean and fit tightly against the frame of the appliance to eliminate air seepage. You should also pay attention to the settings; 38-40 for the refrigerator and 0 degrees for the freezer is the correct temperature settings. There are a couple of other things like do not put hot foods into the refrigerator before allowing them to cool. You might make sure the refrigerator does not sit in direct sunlight. These simple steps can help lower your energy bill.
Small areas that need insulation; maybe around doors and windows when replacing them or between the joist and foundation facing towards the outside of the home. In most cases fiberglass insulation or a can of foam may get this job completed. Foam is hard to control and fiberglass insulation requires protective masks, gloves and clothing.
There is a new type of insulation being sold in smaller package that will make life easier. Recycled cotton and denim makes a great insulator. In fact this cotton insulation get an R 6 per in of thickness. You need no protective gear and it is so easy to apply this product... It is made by Duck brand and can find it at a lot of hardware stores.
Radiant barrier paint applied to the underside of the roof in the attic area can save up to 15 % in energy cost in both winter and summer.
This paint contains microscopic reflective particles that help keep radiant energy from transferring in or out of homes. When applied to the underside of an uncoated attic roof deck, E-Barrier is designed to reflect radiant heat before it reaches the insulation or ceiling below, so rooms stay cooler in warm weather. In colder weather, these same features contribute to a structure’s insulation properties by helping reflect existing heat back into the home.
If you are finishing the basement space in your home you may be wondering whether to insulate the walls or let them go, since they are below grade.The answer is to insulate even though drafts and outside temperatures are not severe. Usually a bout 4 inches of fiberglass insulation is plenty to keep you nice and cozy. Below grade temperature is around 50 degrees and 4 inches of insulation will give you about an R 12.The biggest question is regarding a vapor barrier. Never use plastic as a vapor barrier.Either do not use a vapor barrier or use just a paper vapor barrier.Also when building your stud wall make sure the base 2x4 in pressure treated in case we would have some leakage.
The American home is shrinking! Three bedroom homes are on a decline and most builders agree that the living room will vanish in a few more years. The average size of a new built home in 2010 was 2,377 sq ft down from 2,438 and 2011 looks like the sq footage will drop even more. Here are a couple of other interesting facts.
Homes with 3 or more bathrooms declined from 28% in 2009 to 24% in 2010.
Homes with 3 car garages peaked in 2005 and has been in a downward trend since.
Car garages where in only 17% of the homes completed last year.
There are many reasons for these changes but cost of construction and the cost of energy are certainly a big part of the trend.
I am often asked about moisture between the ceiling and the wall on an outside wall of the home.Is it the roof, downspout or drip edge causing the problem? The answer is it can be any of those plus add the brick, mortar or an exhaust fan that is vented into the attic, it could just be high humidity in the home and no insulation at the top of that wall.That is why the source for moisture is so difficult to trace. Start your hunt in the attic. See if your insulation is wet or a fan is vented in the area.Check to see if the insulation is moldy.Inspect the mortar between the bricks for cracks or pieces that are missing.See what the indoor humidity is in your home (should under40% in the winter).There are no simple answer just a little investigation on you part.
It is not a bad idea to inspect the attic every now and then for moisture issues.A worn collar around the vent, an exhaust fan that is vented to the attic or snow that was once was on the roofed got sucked into the attic because of improper ventilation.All of these issues spell trouble if left unattended.We usually notice the problem when we see stains on the ceiling but by then the insulation is wet and moldy and in some cases so is the wood.If the problem has evolved to that point, the insulation should be removed and the wood treated with an enzyme type cleaner to eliminate the mold.When the problem is corrected new insulation can then be installed.The ceiling water stain first needs to be treated with a stain blocking primer before the finish coat of paint is applied.
There are all kinds of ways that cold air can enter your home.One you may not have thought of might be around can lights.Can lights are the spot lights that are in the ceiling and extend into the attic area. If you get up on the ladder with the lights off you will feel a noticeable draft in this area.In most cases you can not just go into the attic and cover these lights with insulation as this may create a fire hazard. If you remove the finish ring from the can light you will notice a gap between the light and the drywall that was cut during installation.This area can be filled with low expansion foam or caulking. This will eliminate the draft and will still allow the light to cool and breath. An added benefit you may notice is a decrease in the dust that is in your home.
High humidity levels cause poor indoor air quality
The other day I received an e mail asking me to clarify something in my news letter. We published a weatherization audit that spoke of air infiltration into a home as being bad, a consumption of your energy dollars.Yet I speak about an air exchanging units that should be installed in a home. This person felt I was contradicting myself.Well yes and no.If your home is not well insulated and needs weather-stripping and caulking you need to take action.If you home is well insulated, has new windows, a high efficiency furnace you probably need to introduce a little fresh air into the home. Homes that are not well weather-stripped or insulated have low humidity in the winter and home that are well insulated have high humidity levels in the home.High humidity levels cause poor indoor air quality and need some ventilation. Got that.
We weather-strip our homes but how about the garage door?The garage that is below the bedroom upstairs or right behind the dining room down stairs.The more cold air we let into the garage the colder these areas become.First the walls and ceiling should be insulated to create a buffer between the garage and living quarters.Now it is time to check or add weather-stripping to the sides of the garage door.This is mounted on the jam and a vinyl strip seals against the door.At the bottom of the door there should be a rubber seal that compresses against the garage floor when the door is down.Over time it can become brittle and should be replaced.
Air enters and leaves your house constantly. While some of this movement is necessary for ventilation, most homes have entirely too much air exchange. reducing air infiltration can be easily and economically accomplished by providing seals where air enters and exits.
Use his audit to evaluate your home. After you have completed it, take it to the hardware store or home center for the tools, materials, and advice on how to plug the leaks that are costing you money in higher heating and cooling bills.
Begin by checking the exterior doors for these possible leaks:
Cracks where the door meets the frame.
The joint between the frame and the exterior and interior walls of the house
The bottom of the door at the threshold.
Between the base of the threshold and the floor underneath.
If your door has windows, are they properly glazed or is the glazing old and cracked or missing entirely.
Are any of the panes cracked or broken.
If the doors have existing weatherstripping, is it still in good shape or does it need replacement.
Does you home have adequate storm doors and are they properly hung and caulked.
Taking the same approach to interior doors can't hurt either. Keeping them properly sealed helps reduce room-to-room infiltration and makes it possible to control more precisely the heating and cooling of individual rooms.
Look at your windows next:
How many windows have moving parts that allow leaks.
Are there any gaps or flaws in construction around the frame.
What is the condition of glazing compound around the glass. It may be old and cracked.
Are seams around the window trim caulked.
If weatherstripping exists, is it adequate or in need of replacement.
Are any window panes cracked or broken, and need to be replaced.
Are the windows covered with drapes, shades, or blinds.
Are storm windows installed and properly fitted and caulked to eliminate gaps where the window meets the framing
Once you have covered all the conventional openings, look for the not-so-obvious ones.
Foundation cracks or crack in basement walls
Separation between any two materials of the house construction like an exterior chimney and the house
Utility pipes
OPhone, electrical, or cable lines
Mail slot
Clothes dryer vent
Outside light connections
TV Antenna entry
Electrical outlets
Cracks or splits in the siding
Gaps or loose mortar between blocks, bricks, or stone facing
Air ducts for heating and cooling system
Improper insulation around window air conditioning units
Leaky basement windows
Exposed roofing nails
Gaps around roof flashing
Split or loose shingles
Poor drainage around house
Damaged, blocked, or poorly connected downspouts
Gaps around garage door
Energy also leaks from you home by other openings
Is your furnace properly cleaned and tuned for maximum efficiency?
Is the air filter clean?
Check the air conditioning filter
Check the range filter
Check for dirty or blocked heating/cooling registers
Do you set your thermostat too high in winter and too low in summer?
Do you turn your thermostat down when you are out the the house for several hours?
Is the thermostat broken, worn, or dirty? Have you considered a programmable thermostat?
An improperly located thermostat (too near to a heat or cool source or an outside wall) can waste energy
Check for leaks in heating and cooling ducts and joints
Is your hot water heater set at an efficient temperature?
Is the hot water heater malfunctioning in any way?
Are you lighting and heating or cooling unused or seldom used rooms.
Have you insulated your hot and cold water pipes and heating and air conditioning ducts.
We talk a lot about insulation and mold.Sometimes these two issues go together.The reason is if water gets behind a wall because of a leaky bathtub, roof, pipe orgains entry to your home from the outside then the insulation gets wet and often becomes moldy.If you use the newer vapor barriers or the craft wrapped vapor barriers they breathe enough to dry out.You can test to see if the insulation is wet my using a moisture meter to detect humidity behind a wall.If the reading is high the chances of mold are great. Insulation that is moldy should be removed and the wood structure should be cleaned with enzyme based products. Check out the photo gallery of moldy insulation below.
1.Keep curtains/blinds closed during the heat of the day 2.If your house has multiple levels, try to spend most of your time on the lower levels where the temperature will be coolest 3.Minimize the use of your oven 4.Wait until after the sun has gone down to run your dishwasher and take it off the dry cycle. 5.Line-dry your clothes to avoid using the dryer 6.Use ceiling fans to create a breeze and to recirculate air 7.Run the bathroom fan after you shower to pull the humidity out of the house 8.Trade your hot shower in for a cool one 9.Let your hair air dry, and enjoy the cooling effect of wet hair while you wait for it to dry 10.Minimize the amount of bedding that you use 11.Make sure all air vents are free of obstructions. If they're covered with furniture, the cool air won't reach you . 12.Close your fireplace flue to avoid losing cool air. 13.Set up the thermostat when out of the house.
If you can feel the summer heat penetrating your windows you might consider a window film. Energy film insulation makes single pane windows much more energy efficient.The US Department of Energy estimates that the average home wastes 25-40% of energy due to poor window insulation. If your budget does not allow for new windows at this time you might consider installing window film.
Energy Film makes your home more comfortable during every season while bringing home instant, year-round savings! Cut your heating and air conditioning bills by up to 18% without darkening the room or spoiling the look of your window treatments. You can install yourself and is available at most home improvement stores.
Adding insulation to the attic floor can make your home more comfortable, quieter and save you money on your energy bill.When adding insulation make sure to create a buffer space of at least 3“around any can light.If you put the insulation up against theses cans the lights will shut off when they become too warm.Using a piece of round duct work will work as a baffle to protect the lights.Ventilation is also very important to an energy efficient home, so be careful not to block air flow into the attic.Air is brought into the attic by soffit vents and the warm air is pushed out of the attic through the ridge vent.Do not insulate all the way to the edge of the roof line or you will block the air flow.Cardboard baffles are usually installed between the trusses to channel the air in the attic.
You have seen the ladder that pulls down to allow you to climb into your attic for storage, well got something safer and easier.It is called a Versa Lift.To install it a hole is cut into the ceiling and with a platform and cables this product works like a mini elevator go from the attic to the floor. A push button switch operates it, hard wired or wireless allows the platform to come out of the ceiling until it reaches the floor.It holds 200 lbs. of storage and then press the button and up in goes right into the attic.No climbing up the ladder and unloading products to the attic.Just stack the boxes on the platform and up it goes. The lifting platform stops when in reaches full up or full down. It comes in two sizes and runs about $1,200. Check it out called a Versa lift.
The International Residential Code requires that an access be provided for any attic having an area of 30 sq. ft. or larger, with a vertical height of 30 in. or more. Many times, this removable panel is made from a piece of drywall or other sheet material with a fiberglass batting stapled to the back but the best way to insulate your home from drafts coming from this panel is as follows.Make sure the panel is made from ¾” plywood.On the back side of this panel (the panel that is facing in the attic) attach a 1 ½” foam panel to it.This can be done by using a foam construction adhesive.The area where the panel sits on the wood molding use a 5/16” by 3/8’ piece of self adhesive foam weather stripping.It’s that easy and your home will be less drafty and you will save energy dollars.
To determine if you have enough insulation in your attic you can always measure the depth of the insulation. However, there is a way to determine if you have heat loss without getting up in the attic.When you have snowy weather and roof tops are covered in snow, check for which roofs snow melt fastest.If every home still has snow on there roof but your snow has melted that is a sign of heat loss.If snow melts from the top of the roof yet does not melt on the over hangs or the gutter area that is telling you that there is an insulation problem.The heated air in the house escapes into the attic warming the underside of the roof, causing the snow to melt and the water to refreeze when it gets to the unheated overhangs.
When it is super cold outside it makes for a great time to find the drafts in your home.One area to checkout is the outlets and switches located on the outside wall of your home.You will be amazed at the amount of cold air rushing in the home around the switch plate cover.This can be corrected by installing foam weather-stripping pads that fit under the plated covers.You will also be able to detect drafts around windows.Installing plastic windows kits create a nice buffer between the inside and outside air.These can be applied to the window frame and by heating the plastic with a hair dryer it will cause the plastic to shrink and eliminate any wrinkles.If the draft is under the door a door sweep or a towel will stop the draft.
You can reduce your water heating costs by simply lowering the thermostat setting on your water heater. For each 10ºF reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3%–5% in energy costs.Although some manufacturers set water heater thermostats at 140ºF, most households usually only require them set at 120ºF. Water heated at 140ºF also poses a safety hazard—scalding. However, if you have a dishwasher without a booster heater, it may require a water temperature within a range of 130ºF to 140ºF for optimum cleaning.Reducing your water temperature to 120ºF also slows mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes. This helps your water heater last longer and operate at its maximum efficiency.
The R-value per inch for different types of insulation varies depending on the brand and how it was installed, but here are some general comparisons from the Department of Energy:
Fiberglass (batts):
2.9 – 3.8
Cotton (batts):
3.0 – 3.7
Fiberglass (loose):
2.2 – 2.9
Cellulose (loose):
3.1 – 3.8
Rock wool (loose):
2.2 – 3.3
Cementitious (foam):
2.0 – 3.9
Phenolic (foam):
4.4 – 8.2
Polyisocyanurate (foam):
5.6 – 8.0
Polyurethane (foam):
5.6 – 8.0
Polyicynene (foam):
3.6 – 4.3
Installing InstallationYou can hire a professional to blow in loose insulation, or you can install rolls and batts yourself. If the attic isn’t insulated, cut the batts to fit in the space between the ceiling joists. If there is already insulation up to the top of the joists, roll out the new batts perpendicular to the joists.
The amount of insulation recommended for your home is dependent on where you live, but here are some general guidelines:
Attic: Houses in a cold climate should have a minimum of R-42 in the attic, which is equivalent to approximately 15″ of fiberglass insulation. Warmer climates only require an R-38, or about 12″.
Walls: While wall insulation is limited by the width of the studs, different materials provide higher or lower R-values. Fiberglass batts for standard 2×4 walls are now available in low, medium, and high density products that range from R-11 to R-15. Sprayed foam insulation in the same wall cavity can range from an R-14 to an R-28 depending on the product that is used.
Floors: While there are additional considerations—such as venting and moisture problems—to take into account when you insulate under floors, the United States Department of Energy recommends an R-25 rating in cold climates and an R-11 in warmer parts of the country.
Here are a couple of simple energy savings tips that you can use today. Check your windows and make sure they are locked. Windows do not properly seal until they are locked. On sunny days pull up the blinds for solar gain and add more natural light to your home.Taking out your window screens will also increase the natural light in your home. An energy waster that we often overlook is power draining electronic equipment that can be plugged into a power strip and turned off when not in use.Lowering your home thermostat, running full loads in the dishwasher and washingyour clothes using cold water are all easy ways to conserve energy around your home.
Many things will help make your home cooler in the summertime and warmer in the winter including ventilation, insulation and roofing materials. Sometimes a cool roof is achieved by color and sometimes by materials, but the results are the same; a roof that reflects the sun rather then transferring it to the attic and the house below. Light colors will help keep the house cool. If you are planning a new roof for your home, research the most energy efficient materials at www.coolroofs.comProper roof ventilation will also keep your home cool the proper formula for this is for every 300sq feet there should be 1 square foot of uninterrupted ventilation.60% of that number is for the intake or soffit ventilation and 40% would be the roof venting.The department of energy will have the recommended thickness of insulation for your home. It all depends on where you live and the temperature extremes.
Here's a simple checklist to give you an idea of the things you can learn about in ACEEE’s Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings. To Do Today
Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F). You'll not only save energy, you'll avoid scalding your hands.
Check if your water heater has an insulating blanket. An insulating blanket will pay for itself in one year or less!
If you have one of those silent guzzlers, a waterbed, make your bed today. The covers will insulate it, and save up to one-third of the energy it uses.
Start using energy-saving settings on refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and clothes dryers.
Survey your incandescent lights for opportunities to replace them with compact fluorescents (CFLs). These lamps can save three-quarters of the electricity used by incandescents. The best targets are 60-100W bulbs used several hours a day. New CFLs come in many sizes and styles to fit in most standard fixtures.
Check the age and condition of your major appliances, especially the refrigerator. You may want to replace it with a more energy-efficient model before it dies.
Clean or replace furnace, air-conditioner, and heat-pump filters.
This Week
Visit the hardware store. Buy a water-heater blanket, low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and compact fluorescents, as needed.
Rope caulk very leaky windows.
Assess your heating and cooling systems. Determine if replacements are justified, or whether you should retrofit them to make them work more efficiently to provide the same comfort (or better) for less energy.
This Month
Collect your utility bills. Separate electricity and fuel bills. Target the biggest bill for energy conservation remedies.
Crawl into your attic or crawlspace and inspect for insulation. Is there any? How much?
Insulate hot water pipes and ducts wherever they run through unheated areas.
Seal up the largest air leaks in your house—the ones that whistle on windy days, or feel drafty. The worst culprits are usually not windows and doors, but utility cut-throughs for pipes ("plumbing penetrations"), gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets. Better yet, hire an energy auditor with a blower door to point out where the worst cracks are. All the little, invisible cracks and holes may add up to as much as an open window or door, without you ever knowing it!
Install a clock thermostat to set your thermostat back automatically at night.
Schedule an energy audit (ask your utility company or state energy office) for more expert advice on your home as a whole.
This Year
Insulate. If your walls aren't insulated have an insulation contractor blow cellulose into the walls. Bring your attic insulation level up to snuff.
Replace aging, inefficient appliances. Even if the appliance has a few useful years left, replacing it with a top-efficiency model is generally a good investment.
Upgrade leaky windows. It may be time to replace them with energy-efficient models or to boost their efficiency with weather stripping and storm windows.
Have your heating and cooling systems tuned up in the fall and spring, respectively. Duct sealing can also improve the energy efficiency and overall performance of your system (warm-air furnace and central air conditioners).
If you have a bedroom that is always cold in the wintertime, there's a couple things you can do. And the problem might actually start out here. Number one,if it's sitting above the garage, you want to keep the garage as warm as we can. That may mean insulating the ceiling and also insulating the walls, making sure that the windows are good. But on the outside, take a look at your garage door. This is a double insulated garage door. It's going to keep a lot of that cold air on the outside, keeping the garage warmer, keeping the bedroom warmer. Also if you have a double insulated garage door, take a look at the weather stripping. The weather stripping on the side of this door has been torn. It can easily be replaced. Down at the base of the door, where the actual padded seal meets the pad itself, a lot of times these pads are uneven, you may have to build it up. In this case the weather stripping simply needs to be re-adjusted at the base of the door. So, keeping the bedroom warm, in a lot of cases means keeping the garage as warm as it can be.
We spend so much time talking about new windows I forget that there are a lot of homes that still have single pane windows with wood and metal frames.The glazing (or the putty that holds the window in) becomes cracked and needs to be replaced. The hardest part of that project is removing the old glazing.This can be done by applying heat or chisel and hammer to remove the old compound.Today’s glazing is easy to use and is water base. I recommend using metal primer for single pane metal casement windows before applying the glazing or an acrylic primer to wood frames.After the primer has dried apply the compound.Dipping the putty knife in water will allow for a more smooth finish.
Attic venting is an important aspect in maintaining the functions in your home. Proper venting cools your roof extending the material life and reduces the load on your air conditioning system. Attic venting also increases fresh air circulation which reduces vapor build up generated by everyday activities like showering and cooking. Excess moisture trapped in your attic can cause a variety of problems from rust to rot to increased bacteria and mold counts which can have a direct impact on your respiratory health! Passive vents have been a part of building codes for years but soffit vents, ridge vents and louvers rely on nature to provide sufficient air pressure and air movement. So the majority of the time your attic is stagnant and continues to build up heat and moisture.
Use the sun's energy with a solar powered attic fan, which adds no-cost cooling & air circulation. It operates just like an electric one and has a thermostat to remove the hot attic air that is running up your air conditioning cost.
Would you put a 6 foot diameter turbine fan on your roof if it could save you 15% on your electric energy usage?Honeywell is betting that you would. They have created a wind turbine that mounts on your roof that can begin to produce electric energy when wind speeds are as little as 2mph. The wind mills that are currently being used in some parts of the country are expensive and can only produce when the winds speeds reach 8mph.To show how effective the Honeywell wind turbine is; 80% of the country experience wind speeds of less then 10 mph 90% of the time. The new concept in the Honeywell wind turbine is it creates power at the tips of the blades, rather then the complicated gearing of traditional turbine. Only weighs 95 pounds and it might be something you want to checkout.
Is the second floor in your home hotter than the rest of the house? Well, there's a couple of simple things you can do, and maybe there's a project there also. Number one, close the drapes and run the ceiling fan. That'll help a lot. Also the thermostat, turn the fan to on so you're circulating the air throughout the home. Now the project part is, if the roof isn't properly ventilated, you need to address that. Also, adding insulation, because that second floor is directly below that attic, which can often be 140 degrees. Here's a couple more simple things you can do. Number one, take a look at all the air ducts that are pulling the cold air throughout the home. The ones you can see, check the joints, and if they're separated or there's a gap, tape them with a little bit of aluminum tape. Another thing, how clean is that air conditioning and furnace filter? If this has a lot of dirt on it, it's going to impede the air flow and the air flow is critical when it comes to cooling the upstairs. One other little thing, these allergen filters, are great for allergens, but again, a little thicker media does decrease the air flow. So, maybe you want to switch to this for just a month or two.
© 2012
