|
Saving energy in the fall and winter
- Caulk and/or weather-strip around all your doors, windows, exhaust vents, and other openings that allow cold air to leak into your house. This can save you a lot in energy costs. And don't worry about sealing your home too tightly: for all leaks you find, there always will be a few that you can't.
- Check your exterior doors. If you can see light or can feel air coming in around them, you probably need to replace the thresholds and/or door sweeps.
- Seal around plumbing entrances under sinks and vanities and around bathtubs and showers.
- Place foam gaskets under the electrical outlet covers to cut down on air infiltration. You'll be surprised at the amount of outside air that gets in, even through the inside walls of your home.
Saving energy in the spring and summer
- Check for proper insulation in the attic and floors and good seals around doors, windows, and ductwork. The minimum recommended amounts are R-30 in the attic, R-19 under the floor, and R-12 in the exterior walls. Ductwork should be insulated to at least R-6. These being minimum recommendations, you're always free to add more.
- Check and clean or replace climate-control system filters every 30 days or as often as needed. Keep blinds or curtains drawn where the sun is hitting your house the hardest. This reflects heat away from the interior.
- As much as possible, use heat-producing appliances early or late in the day. Such appliances include clothes dryers, dishwashers, and ovens.
- Use fans to circulate air. Make sure the blades are set to rotate in the proper direction for the season. You can often set your thermostat a few degrees higher as the fan makes the air feel cooler.
- Choose the highest comfortable summer thermostat setting. For each degree you raise the thermostat, you can reduce the cost of cooling your home by as much as three percent.
|
