· Energy efficient windows and doors
These will help you make noticeable improvement immediately. You need to identify air leaks as well as drafts within the home and ensure they are sealed with weather stripping or caulk. In addition, check for any air leaks in the areas surrounding electrical holes and outlets around various entry points in the home. You can ask your local HVAC contractor to help you identify all the air leaks and get a home energy efficiency expert to carry out an evaluation of your home. To save money while enjoying utmost comfort, consider low-emissivity and double paned windows that are able to keep hot air out during summer. These insulated windows will also help in prevention of heat transfer during winter ensuring you stay comfortable indoors without wasting energy, thereby saving money.
· Attic Renovation and Insulation
Generally, high-energy costs are associated with the attic. That is, when your knee walls, attic hatch, floor and ceiling do not have insulation and you have a problem with your attic ventilation, the air that is conditioned is being wasted as it is escaping through the roof even as the superheated attic warms the house as in summer. Consequently, the AC is overworked making your energy bills to go up significantly. Your insulation tends to settle over time and become wet from leaking roofs. Therefore, you will do well to find and fix any leaks even though the ultimate solution is replacing it as this will increase insulation to reach realistic levels.
· Basement Finishing
Insulating your basement and protecting it from mold growth, moisture and structural home damage can contribute to your home’s increased home efficiency. In particular, adding vapor barriers and insulating to proper R-values will make a big difference. Exposed pipes for plumbing must be insulated to save energy. Finishing the attic and basement lets you use it more productively.
· Ductwork Replacement and Sealing
Ductworks that leak account for close to 30% of energy waste and loos in the home. Ducts are invisible and less thought about yet they carry air that is conditioned for long distances throughout the house so they need attention that include maintenance and cleaning. Connections tend to loosen over time causing the insulation to fall off thus paving way for leakage. Having a professional inspect your duct as well as air sealing is important in ensuring energy efficiency. During inspection, part of the duct may be replaced so that your HVAC system works efficiently and properly.
· Replace your thermostat.
You may need to replace your thermostat with new model thermostats that are programmable. These let you take control of the temperature in your home even when you are not around. This means you can turn the cooling and heating system off when you are at work and restart on time to make the home comfortable before you get home. Thermostats not only let you control the settings but also significantly reduce your energy bill by up to 15% every month.
A plan to Impact Home Energy Efficiency
All the ideas discussed above are easily achievable but can be overwhelming when you think about implementing them all at once. Thus, you need a plan on how to affect your home energy efficiency. You can begin by talking to your local HVAC contractor to carry out an evaluation of the energy efficiency of your home and get a recommendation of where you can begin. Be sure to get a cost estimate for each of the projects and discuss with the home improvement experts how to prioritize the energy efficiency fixes for your home.
About the author: Dan McKee heads up the marketing efforts and provides digital marketing strategies to the marketing team at Service Champions, HVAC service providers in California. Servicechampions.net