|
o
Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players,
into power strips; turn the power strips off
when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs
in standby mode still use several watts of power).
o
Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater
to 120° F.
o
Take short showers instead of baths.
o
Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
o
Look for the ENERGY STAR® label on home
appliances and products.
ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency
guidelines set by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S.
Department of Energy.
Your
Home's Energy Use
The
first step to taking a whole house energy efficiency
approach
is to find out which parts of your house use
the most energy. A home
energy audit will pinpoint those areas and suggest
the most effective
measures for cutting your energy costs. You
can conduct a simple
home energy audit yourself, you can contact
your local utility, or
you can call an independent energy auditor for
a more comprehensive
examination. For more information about home
energy audits,
including free tools and calculators, visit
www.energysavers.gov or
www.natresnet.org/resources/
Energy
Auditing Tips
o
Check the insulation levels in your attic, exterior
and basement walls,
ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces. Visit www.energysavers.gov
for
instructions on checking your insulation levels.
o
Check for holes or cracks around your walls,
ceilings, windows,
doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches,
and electrical outlets that can leak air into
or out of your home.
o
Check for open fireplace dampers.
o
Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling
systems are properly maintained. Check your
owner's manuals for the recommended maintenance.
o
Study your family's lighting needs and use patterns,
paying special
attention to high-use areas such as the living
room, kitchen, and outside lighting. Look for
ways to use lighting controls-like occupancy
sensors, dimmers, or timers-to reduce lighting
energy use, and replace standard (also called
incandescent) light bulbs and fixtures with
compact or standard fluorescent lamps.
Formulating
Your Plan
After
you have identified where your home is losing
energy, assign priorities by asking yourself
a few important questions:
o
How much money do you spend on energy?
o
Where are your greatest energy losses?
o
How long will it take for an investment in energy
efficiency to pay
for itself in energy cost savings?
o
Do the energy saving measures provide additional
benefits that
are important to you (for example, increased
comfort from installing
double-paned, efficient windows)?
o
How long do you plan to own your current home?
o
Can you do the job yourself or will you need
to hire a contractor?
o
What is your budget and how much time do you
have to spend on
maintenance and repair?
How
We Use Energy in Our Homes
Heating
accounts for the biggest chunk of a typical
utility bill.
Once
you assign priorities to your energy needs,
you can form a whole house efficiency plan.
Your plan will provide you with a strategy for
making smart purchases and home improvements
that maximize energy efficiency and save the
most money.
Another
option is to get the advice of a professional.
Many utilities conduct energy audits for free
or for a small charge. For a fee, a professional
contractor will analyze how well your home's
energy systems work together and compare the
analysis to your utility bills. He or she will
use a variety of equipment such as blower doors,
infrared cameras, and surface thermometers to
find leaks and drafts.
After
gathering information about your home, the contractor
or auditor will give you a list of recommendations
for cost effective energy improvements and enhanced
comfort and safety. A good contractor will also
calculate the return on your investment in high
efficiency
equipment compared with standard equipment.
Tips
for Finding a Contractor
o
Ask neighbors and friends for recommendations
o
Look in the Yellow Pages
o
Focus on local companies
o
Look for licensed, insured contractors
o
Get three bids with details in writing
o
Ask about previous experience
o
Check references
o
Check with the Better Business Bureau
Checking
your home's insulation is one of the fastest
and most cost efficient ways to use a wholehouse
approach to reduce energy waste and make the
most of your energy dollars. A good insulating
system includes a combination of products and
construction techniques
that protect a home from outside temperatures-hot
and cold, protect
it against air leaks, and control moisture.
You can increase the comfort of your home while
reducing your heating and cooling needs by up
to 30% by investing just a few hundred dollars
in proper insulation and sealing air leaks.
Insulation
First,
check the insulation in your attic, ceilings,
exterior and
basement walls, floors, and crawl spaces to
see if it meets the
levels recommended for your area. Insulation
is measured in
R-values-the higher the R-value, the better
your walls and roof
will resist the transfer of heat. DOE recommends
ranges of
R-values based on local heating and cooling
costs and climate conditions in different areas
of the nation. State and local codes
in some parts of the country may require lower
R-values than the
DOE recommendations,
Where
to Insulate
Adding
insulation in the areas shown below may be the
best way to improve your home's energy efficiency.
Crawl
space
Basement
Attic
Walls
Floors
For customized insulation recommendations, visit
energysavers.gov and check out the Zip Code
Insulation Calculator, which lists the most
economic insulation levels for your new or existing
home based on your zip code and other basic
information about your home.
Although
insulation can be made from a variety of materials,
it usually comes in four types; each type has
different
characteristics.
Rolls
and batts-or blankets-are flexible products
made from mineral
fibers, such as fiberglass and rock wool. They
are available in widths suited to standard spacings
of wall studs and attic or floor joists.
2x4
walls can hold R-13 or R-15 batts; 2x6 walls
can have R-19or R-21 products.
Loose-fill
insulation-usually made of fiberglass, rock
wool, or
cellulose comes in shreds, granules, or nodules.
These small particles should be blown into spaces
using special pneumatic equipment. The blown-in
material conforms readily to building cavities
and attics. Therefore, loose-fill insulation
is well suited for places where it is difficult
to install other types of insulation.
Rigid
foam insulation-foam insulation typically is
more expensive
than fiber insulation. But it's very effective
in buildings with space limitations and where
higher R-values are needed. Foam insulation
R-values range from R-4 to R-6.5 per inch of
thickness (2.54 cm),
which is up to 2 times greater than most other
insulating materials
of the same thickness.
Foam-in-place
insulation-can be blown into walls and reduces
air leakage.
Insulation
Tips
o
Consider factors such as your climate, building
design, and budget
when selecting insulation R-values for your
home.
o
Use higher density insulation, such as rigid
foam boards, in cathedral
ceilings and on exterior walls.
o
Ventilation plays a large role in providing
moisture control and
reducing summer cooling bills. Attic vents can
be installed along
the entire ceiling cavity to help ensure proper
airflow from the soffit
to the attic to make a home more comfortable
and energy efficient.
o
Recessed light fixtures can be a major source
of heat loss, but you
need to be careful how close you place insulation
next to a fixture
unless it is marked IC-designed for direct insulation
contact. Check
your local building codes for recommendations.
Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks
Should
I Insulate My Home?
The
answer is probably "yes" if you:
o
Have an older home and haven't added insulation.
Only 20% of
homes built before 1980 are well insulated.
o
Are uncomfortably cold in the winter or hot
in the summer-
adding insulation creates a more uniform temperature
and increases
comfort.
o
Build a new home, addition, or install new siding
or roofing.
o
Pay high energy bills.
o
Are bothered by noise from outside-insulation
muffles sound.
Long-Term Savings Tip
One
of the most cost-effective ways to make your
home more
comfortable year-round is to add insulation
to your attic. Adding insulation to the attic
is relatively easy and very cost effective.
To find out if you have enough attic insulation,
measure the thickness of the insulation. If
it is less than R-22 (7 inches of fiber glass
or rock wool or 6 inches of cellulose), you
could probably benefit by adding more. Most
U.S. homes should have between R-22 and R-49
insulation in the attic.
If
your attic has enough insulation and your home
still feels drafty and cold in the winter or
too warm in the summer, chances are you need
to add insulation to the exterior walls as well.
This is a more expensive measure that usually
requires a contractor, but it may be worth the
cost if you live in a very hot or cold climate.
You
may also need to add insulation to your crawl
space. Either the walls of the ceawl space or
the floor above the crawl space should be insulated.
How
Much Insulation Does My Home Need?
For
insulation recommendations tailored to your
home, visit the DOE
Click Here for the Zip Code Insulation Calculator
New
Construction
For
new construction or home additions, R-11 to
R-28 insulation
is recommended for exterior walls depending
on location. To
meet this recommendation, most homes and additions
constructed with 2 in. x 4 in. walls require
a combination of wall cavity insulation, such
as batts and insulating sheathing or rigid foam
boards. If you
live in an area with an insulation recommendation
that is greater
than R-20, you may want to consider building
with 2 in. x 6 in.
framing instead of 2 in. x 4 in. framing to
allow room for thicker wall cavity insulation-R-19
to R-21.
Today,
new products are on the market that provide
both insulation
and structural support and should be considered
for new home construction or additions. Structural
insulated panels, known as SIPS, and masonry
products like insulating concrete forms are
among these. Some homebuilders are even using
an old technique borrowed from the pioneers,
building walls using straw bales. Check online
at www.energysavers.gov for more information
on structural insulation.
Radiant
barriers (in hot climates), reflective insulation,
and foundation
insulation should all be considered for new
home construction.
Sealing
Air Leaks
Warm
air leaking into your home during the summer
and out of your
home during the winter can waste a lot of your
energy dollars. One of the quickest dollar-saving
tasks you can do is caulk, seal, and weatherstrip
all seams, cracks, and openings to the outside.
You can save 10% or more on your energy bill
by reducing the air leaks in your home.
Tips
for Finding And Sealing Air Leaks
o
First, test your home for air tightness. On
a windy day, hold a lit incense stick next to
your windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing
fixtures, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures,
attic hatches, and other locations where there
is a possible air path to the outside. If the
smoke stream travels horizontally, you have
located an air leak
that may need caulking, sealing, or weatherstripping.
Sources
of Air Leaks in Your Home
Areas that leak air into and out of your home
cost you lots of money.
Check
the areas listed below.
Dropped
ceiling
Water heater and furnace flues
Window frames
Recessed light
All ducts
Electrical outlets and switches
Attic entrance
Door frames
Plumbing and utility access
Sill plates
Chimney flashing
Insulation
and Sealing Air Leaks
o
Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows that
leak air.
o
Caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, ducting,
or electrical
wiring penetrates through exterior walls, floors,
ceilings, and soffits over cabinets.
o
Install rubber gaskets behind outlet and switch
plates on exterior walls.
o
Look for dirty spots in your insulation, which
often indicate holes where air leaks into and
out of your house. You can seal the holes by
stapling sheets of plastic over the holes and
caulking the edges of the plastic.
o
Install storm windows over single-pane windows
or replace them with doublepane windows.
o
When the fireplace is not in use, keep the flue
damper tightly closed. A chimney is designed
specifically for smoke to escape, so until you
close it, warm air escapes-24 hours a day!
o
For new construction, reduce exterior wall leaks
by either
installing house wrap, taping the joints of
exterior sheathing, or comprehensively caulking
and sealing the exterior walls.
How and Where Does the Air Escape?
"
Plumbing penetrations 13%
"
Windows 10%
"
Floors, walls, and ceiling 31%
"
Fireplace 14%
"
Fans and vents 4%
"
Doors 11%
"
Ducts 15%
"
Electric outlets 2%
Air
infiltrates into and out of your home through
every hole, nook, and cranny. About one-third
of this air infiltrates through openings in
your
ceilings, walls, and floors.
Heating
and Cooling
Heating
and cooling your home uses more energy and drains
more energy dollars than any other system in
your home. Typically, 61% of your utility bill
goes for heating and cooling. What's more, heating
and cooling systems in the United States together
emit over a half billion tons of carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere each year, adding to global
warming. They also generate about 24% of the
nation's sulfur dioxide and 12% of the nitrogen
oxides, the chief ingredients in acid rain.
No
matter what kind of heating, ventilation, and
air-conditioning
system you have in your house, you can save
money and increase your comfort by properly
maintaining and upgrading your equipment. But
remember, an energy-efficient furnace alone
will not have as great an impact on your energy
bills as using the whole-house approach.
By
combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades
with appropriate insulation, air sealing, and
thermostat settings, you can cut your energy
bills and your pollution output in half.
Heating
and Cooling Tips
o Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable
in the winter and
as high as is comfortable in the summer.
o
Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a
month or as needed.
o
Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters,
and radiators as needed; make sure they're not
blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
o
Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once
or twice a season;
if in doubt about how to perform this task,
call a professional.
o
Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between
exterior walls and
the radiators.
o
Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans
within 20 minutes after you are done cooking
or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans,
consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise
models.
o
During the heating season, keep the draperies
and shades on your southfacing windows open
during the day to allow the sunlight to
enter your home and closed at night to reduce
the chill you may feel from cold windows.
o During the cooling season, keep the window
coverings closed during the day to prevent solar
gain.
Long-Term
Savings Tips
o
Select energy-efficient products when you buy
new heating and
cooling equipment. Your contractor should be
able to give you energy
fact sheets for different types, models, and
designs to help you.
Ducts
One
of the most important systems in your home,
though it's hidden beneath your feet and over
your head, may be wasting a lot of your energy
dollars.
Your
home's duct system, a branching network of tubes
in the walls, floors, and ceilings, carries
the air from your home's furnace and central
air conditioner to each room. Ducts are made
of sheet metal, fiber glass, or other materials.
Unfortunately, many duct systems
are poorly insulated or not insulated properly.
Ducts that leak heated air into unheated spaces
can add hundreds of dollars a year to your heating
and cooling bills. Insulating ducts that are
in unconditioned spaces is usually very cost
effective. If you are buying a new duct system,
consider one that comes with insulation already
installed.
Sealing
your ducts to prevent leaks is even more important
if the ducts
are located in an unconditioned area such as
an attic or vented crawl
space. If the supply ducts are leaking, heated
or cooled air can be forced out unsealed joints
and lost. In addition, unconditioned air can
be drawn into return ducts through unsealed
joints.
In
the summer, hot attic air can be drawn in, increasing
the load on the air conditioner. In the winter,
your furnace will have to work longer to keep
your house comfortable. Either way, your energy
losses cost you money. Minor duct repairs are
easy to do, Here are a few simple tips to help
with minor duct repairs.
Duct
Tips
o
Check your ducts for air leaks. First, look
for sections that should
be joined but have separated and then look for
obvious holes.
o
If you use tape to seal your ducts, avoid cloth-backed,
rubber adhesive duct tape, which tends to fail
quickly. Researchers recommend other products
to seal ducts: mastic, butyl tape, foil tape,
or other heat approved tapes. Look for tape
with the Underwriters Laboratories logo.
o
Remember that insulating ducts in the basement
will make the
basement colder. If both the ducts and the basement
walls are
uninsulated, consider insulating both.*
*
Note: Water pipes and drains in unconditioned
spaces could freeze and burst in the space if
the heat ducts are fully insulated, because
there would be no heat source to prevent the
space from freezing in cold weather. However,
using an electric heating tape wrap on the pipes
can prevent this.
o
If your basement has been converted to a living
area, install both supply and return registers
in the basement rooms.
o
Be sure a well-sealed vapor barrier exists on
the outside of the insulation on cooling ducts
to prevent moisture buildup.
o
For new construction, consider placing ducts
in conditioned
space-space that is heated and cooled-instead
of running ducts
through unconditioned areas like the crawl space
or attic, which is
less efficient.
Fireplaces
When
you cozy up next to a crackling fire on a cold
winter day, you probably don't realize that
your fireplace is one of the most inefficient
heat sources you can possibly use. It literally
sends your energy dollars right up the chimney
along with volumes of warm air. A
roaring fire can exhaust as much as 24,000 cubic
feet of air per hour to the outside, which must
be replaced by cold air coming into the house
from the outside. Your heating system must warm
up this air, which is then exhausted through
your chimney. If you use your
conventional fireplace while your central heating
system is on, these tips can help reduce energy
losses.
Fireplace
Tips
o
If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal
the chimney flue.
o
Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire
is going. Keeping the
damper open is like keeping a window wide open
during the winter; it allows warm air to go
right up the chimney.
o
When you use the fireplace, reduce heat loss
by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox
(if provided) or open the nearest window slightly-
approximately 1 inch-and close doors leading
into the room. Lower the thermostat setting
to between 50° and 55°F.
o
Install tempered glass doors and a heat-air
exchange system that blows warmed air back into
the room.
o
Check the seal on the flue damper and make it
as snug as possible.
o
Add caulking around the fireplace hearth.
o
Use grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw
cool room air into the fireplace and circulate
warm air back into the room.
Natural
Gas and Oil Heating Systems
If
you plan to buy a new heating system, ask your
local utility or state
energy office for information about the latest
technologies available to
consumers. They can advise you about more efficient
systems on the market today. For example, many
newer models incorporate designs for burners
and heat exchangers that result in higher efficiencies
during operation and reduce heat loss when the
equipment is off. Consider a sealed combustion
furnace; they are both safer and more
efficient.
Long-Term
Savings Tip
o
Install a new energy-efficient furnace to save
money over the long
term. Look for the ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide
labels.
Programmable
Thermostats
You
can save as much as 10% a year on your heating
and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat
back 10% to 15% for 8 hours. You can do this
automatically without sacrificing comfort by
installing an automatic setback or programmable
thermostat.
Using
a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the
times you turn on the heating or air-conditioning
according to a pre-set schedule. As a result,
the equipment doesn't operate as much when you
are asleep or when the house or part of the
house is not occupied.
Programmable thermostats can store and repeat
multiple daily settings
(six or more temperature settings a day) that
you can manually override without affecting
the rest of the daily or weekly program.
Landscaping
Landscaping
is a natural and beautiful way to keep your
home cool in summer and reduce your energy bills.
In addition to adding aesthetic value and environmental
quality to your home, a well-placed tree, shrub,
or vine can deliver effective shade, act as
a windbreak, and reduce overall energy bills.
Carefully
positioned trees can save up to 25% of a typical
household's
energy used for heating and cooling. Computer
models from DOE predict that just three trees,
properly placed around the house, can save an
average household between $100 and $250 in heating
and cooling energy costs annually.
Studies
conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
found
summer daytime air temperatures to be 3°
to 6°F cooler in tree-shaded neighborhoods
than in treeless areas.
The
energy-conserving landscape strategies you should
use for your
home depend on the type of climate in which
you live.
Water Heating
Water
heating is the third largest energy expense
in your home.
It typically accounts for about 16% of your
utility bill. There are
four ways to cut your water heating bills: use
less hot water, turn down the thermostat on
your water heater, insulate your water heater,
or buy a new, more efficient water heater.
A
family of four, each showering for 5 minutes
a day, uses 700 gallons of water a week; this
is enough for a 3-year supply of drinking water
for one person. You can cut that amount in half
simply by using low-flow aerating showerheads
and faucets.
Water
Heating Tips
o
Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.
o
Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet
wastes gallons of water
in a short period of time.
o
Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water
heaters sometimes come from the factory with
high temperature settings, but a setting of
120°F provides comfortable hot water for
most uses.
o
Take more showers than baths. Bathing uses the
most hot water
in the average household. You use 15-25 gallons
of hot water for a
bath, but less than 10 gallons during a 5-minute
shower.
o
Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank,
but be careful not to
cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer's
recommendations.
o
Insulate your natural gas or oil hotwater storage
tank, but be careful
not to cover the water heater's top, bottom,
thermostat, or burner
compartment. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations;
when in doubt, get professional help.
o
Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold
water pipes connected to the water heater.
o
If you are in the market for a new dishwasher
or clothes washer, consider buying an efficient,
water-saving model to reduce hot water use.
o
Install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes
at the water heater to prevent heat loss. Some
new water heaters have built-in heat traps.
o
Drain a quart of water from your water tank
every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes
heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your
heater. The type of water tank you have determines
the steps to take, so follow the manufacturer's
advice.
o
Although most water heaters last 10- 15 years,
it's best to start shopping for a new one if
yours is more than 7 yearsold. Doing some research
before your heater fails will enable you to
select one that most appropriately meets your
needs.
Long-Term
Savings Tips
o
Buy a new energy-efficient water heater. While
it may cost more initially than a standard water
heater, the energy savings will continue during
the lifetime of the appliance. If your current
water heater is electric, consider switching
to a natural gas water heater if gas is available.
o
Consider installing a drain water waste heat
recovery system. A recent DOE study showed energy
savings of 25% to about 30% for water heating
using such a system.
o
Consider demand or tankless water heaters. Researchers
have found
savings can be as much as 34% compared with
a standard electric
storage tank water heater.
If
you heat water with electricity, have high electric
rates, and have
an unshaded, south-facing location (such as
a roof) on your property,
consider installing a solar water heater. The
solar units are environmentally friendly and
can now be installed on your roof to blend with
the architecture of your house. More than 1.5
million homes and businesses in the United States
have invested in solar water heating systems,
and surveys indicate over 94% of these customers
consider
the systems a good investment. Solar water heating
systems are also good for the environment. Solar
water heaters avoid the harmful greenhouse gas
emissions associated with electricity production.
During a 20- year period, one solar water heater
can avoid over 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
When shopping for a solar water heater, look
for systems certified by the Solar Rating and
Certification
Corporation or the Florida Solar Energy Center.
Windows
Windows
can be one of your home's most attractive features.
Windows provide views, daylighting, ventilation,
and solar heating in the winter.
Unfortunately,
they can also account for 10% to 25% of your
heating bill. During the summer, sunny windows
make your air conditioner work two to three
times harder. If you live in the Sun Belt, look
into new solar control spectrally selective
windows, which can cut the
cooling load by more than half.
If
your home has single-pane windows, as almost
half of U.S. homes do, consider replacing them.
New doublepane windows with high-performance
glass (e.g., low-e or spectrally selective)
are available on the market. In colder climates,
select windows that are gas filled with low
emissivity (low-e) coatings on the glass to
reduce heat loss. In warmer climates, select
windows with spectrally selective coatings to
reduce heat gain. If you are building a new
home, you can offset
some of the cost of installing more efficient
windows because doing so
allows you to buy smaller, less expensive heating
and cooling equipment.
If
you decide not to replace your windows, the
simpler, less costly
measures listed below can improve their performance.
Cold-Climate
Window Tips
o
You can use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet
on a frame or tape
clear plastic film to the inside of your window
frames during the
cold winter months. Remember, the plastic must
be sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce
infiltration.
o
Install tight-fitting, insulating window shades
on windows that feel drafty after weatherizing.
o
Close your curtains and shades at night; open
them during the day.
o
Keep windows on the south side of your house
clean to let in the winter sun.
o
Install exterior or interior storm windows;
storm windows can reduce
heat loss through the windows by 25% to 50%.
Storm windows should
have weatherstripping at all moveable joints;
be made of strong, durable materials; and have
interlocking or overlapping joints. Low-e storm
windows save even more energy.
o
Repair and weatherize your current storm windows,
if necessary.
Warm-Climate
Window Tips
o
Install white window shades, drapes, or blinds
to reflect heat away from the house.
o Close curtains on south- and westfacing windows
during the day.
o
Install awnings on south- and westfacing windows.
o
Apply sun-control or other reflective films
on south-facing windows to
reduce solar gain.
Long-Term
Savings Tip
o
Installing new, high-performance windows will
improve your home's
energy performance. While it may take many years
for new windows to pay off in energy savings,
the benefits of added comfort and improved aesthetics
and functionality may make the investment worth
it to you. Today, many new window technologies
are available that are worth considering. Glazing
materials (the glass part of the window) now
come with a variety of selective coatings and
other features; frames are available in aluminum,
wood, vinyl, fiber glass, or
combinations of these materials. Each type of
glazing material and frame has advantages and
disadvantages.
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