News and Events
May 11, 2007
The Savings Spots
The Savings Spots
While every home will have different needs, energy
efficiency expert Ed Pollock and the Home Energy Saver website suggest that
these 10 energy-saving improvements could be worth looking at:
1. Sealing and
Insulating Heating/Cooling Ducts. Especially if ducts run through unheated
areas of your home, such as attics and crawl spaces, you could be wasting up to
30% of your heating and cooling dollars. Use foil-faced tape to seal the
crimped-metal joints between duct sections. (Despite its name, duct tape really
isn’t suitable for this purpose because it dries out over time.)
2. Weather-Stripping
(or Upgrading) Windows and Doors. “I tend to shy away from talking about
leaks because I assume everybody knows that,” Pollock says, “but it’s the easiest
thing to do, and it does always get you big savings.”
3. Adding Attic
Insulation. If your attic has exposed floor joists and you’re able to see
them, you need more insulation – a minimum of 12 to 15 inches to achieve an
R-38 rating.
4. Upgrading Your
Furnace and Air Conditioner. If your furnace is more than 15 years old (or
your central-air unit more than 10), upgrading to an ENERGY STAR-qualified
model could reduce your heating costs by 15% and your cooling costs by 20%.
Regardless of the efficiency of your equipment, make sure it’s serviced
regularly to stay in peak operating condition.
5. Buying
Energy-Efficient Appliances. Refrigerators especially can be energy hogs,
but designs continue to improve. Today’s ENERGY STAR-qualified models could save
as much as 50% of the energy consumed by a refrigerator that’s little more than
10 years old. If you’re not ready to replace an aging refrigerator, check the
seal to make sure it’s still tight. If you close the door on a dollar bill and
can easily pull it out, it’s time to replace the seal.
6. Insulating Your
Water Heater and Hot Water Pipes. The DOE reports that water heaters can
account for up to 25% of a home’s energy use. Installing a tank jacket and
insulating hot water pipes may let you lower your heater’s temperature 10
degrees and still get hot water from the tap sooner than you did before.
7. Replacing
Incandescent Bulbs with Fluorescents. The cost of compact fluorescent bulbs
continues to decline, but they still outlast incandescent 10-to-1, Pollock
says. Because they take a little longer to get up to full illumination, they’re
best for high-use areas of the house or anywhere you typically leave a light on
for more than five minutes.
8. Installing a
Programmable Thermostat. Depending on your home routine, it has the
potential to shave $100 to $150 a year off your utility bills, easily paying
for itself in just several months.
9. Adding Ventilation.
It’s good to use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bath. But, Pollock notes, they
may not be able to do their job properly once you’ve tightened up your home
because there’s no longer any source of “makeup air” to restore the balance. The
simple solution: Have a contractor install a duct that brings fresh air into
the air return on your furnace.
10. Landscaping to
Save Money. Plant shrubs and deciduous trees on the south side of your home
for summer shade, if possible, but take care that plantings don’t obstruct the
airflow to your central-air unit.
Article by Dave Kirchner
