Plugging The Leaks
With the temperatures dropping, cold air trying to seep into our buildings, and our money quickly evaporating due to rising costs, it's time to plug the leaks. Finding and sealing the leaky areas in your home or business to conserve energy can help to slow down the leak in your wallet as well. Most Americans could use this right now.
There are several simple steps that most people can do to literally plug the leaks in their homes and businesses to reduce energy consumption.
The first step is to have an energy audit done. You can get a free energy audit from your utility company or you can hire an independent energy consultant. The free audits are great because they are free, but they might not be as thorough as hiring an energy consultant. Hiring an energy consultant will cost around $75/hr., but is worth the money input for savings gained. A good auditor can do a whole house audit in about four hours. There are a couple of places to look for a whole-house auditor:
- Energy Star ProgramóHome Performance, www.energystar.gov >Home Improvement > Home Performance with Energy Star.
- Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET)– www.resnet.us
The next step is to properly seal the energy leaks in your home or business. By properly sealing and insulating your structures, you can save anywhere from 5–50% of your energy bill each year. This can save you a lot of money! Only 20% of homes built before 1980 are well insulated, so if you own an older home, you need to find out if you need more insulation. Check your insulation in the following places: attic, exterior, basement walls, ceiling, floors and crawl spaces. Visit www.energy.gov >Your Home > Your Home's Energy Use. This site explains how to check your insulation in various parts of your home. You can also cut down on energy loss by weather stripping and caulking doors and windows. Visit www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=diy.diy_index for step-by-step information on how to find and plug air leaks around your home. Ask your local hardware store if they carry non-toxic insulation made from recycled cotton. If they don't, ask them if they can order it. Also, go to www.greenpages.org for a free listing of green kits (under BuildingóSupplies/Kits).
After your audit and sealing leaks, cut more energy waste through windows. Be sure the edges of your windows are properly sealed by filling gaps with caulk. No VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) caulk can be found at www.afmsafecoat.com / 619.239.0321). No VOC products don't have the harmful chemicals that VOC products do. Another way to cut down on window heat loss is to use heavy curtains or drapes. Check out your local thrift store or yard sale. You can also purchase storm-window kits from your local hardware store. Reflective Low E films are also available which reduce the amount of heat that escapes through windows while still letting light in. In the winter, up to 16% of heated air in your home can escape through your windows. An environmentally friendly business called Gaiam has do-it-yourself window-insulating kits. Visit www.gaiam.com , 877.989.6321.
Insulating your hot water heater and pipes is another way to reduce energy loss. With an electric hot water heater, it's easy to do yourself. Call your plumber for help if you have an oil or gas-powered heater. Most hardware stores have blankets for your hot water heater. About 13% of your household energy goes to heating water. By insulating your tank, you can cut heat losses by 25-45%.
There are a couple more ways to save on your energy bill during the winter months. Install fans in the rooms you use the most. In the winter months, switch the rotation of the fan blade so that the blades move clockwise. Doing this helps to circulate the warm air that is rising to the ceiling and back down into the room. This can save 10% on your heating bills. Purchase a programmable thermostat from your local hardware store. A programmable thermostat allows you to automate when your heating and cooling systems come on and off. For example, when you are asleep at night or away during the day, you can program the thermostat to a lower temperature than when you are awake and home.
If we all just try to do some of the things mentioned above, not only can we save money but we can also prevent a lot of CO2 from being emitted, thus saving the environment.
Gwen Corbett, owner of Bear's Den Cottages (green lodging)
Helping Individuals and Businesses to Go Green
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LLC
