HOME - WINTERIZING YOUR HOME - The Time To Winterize is NOT WINTER - It's NOW!
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Winterizing Your Home
Simple Steps to Money Saving Ideas!
Introduction
When you are winterizing your home, you must think about all of the areas that will be
affected. This is a task that will take some time to complete. You want to be able to save
as much money as possible, so you have to work on finding all of the cracks and air
pockets that need to be sealed up in your home.
In order to find out the basics about winterizing your home, this report will explain what
you need to do in order to save money during the winter season. Here are some of the
things that are in this report:
ï‚· Energy audits
ï‚· Checking for leaks
ï‚· Air sealing
ï‚· Insulation
ENERGY STAR products that can help you save money on your home by getting a hold
of this report and reading it, you will be able not only how to stay comfortable in your
home, but you will also learn how to save money in the process.
Conducting A Home Energy Audit
One of the first things that you can do before you start the winterizing process is to
conduct a home energy audit. This can help you to figure out how much energy you are
using in your home.
The results will help you to take measures to make your home more energy-efficient for
the winter season. Even though the season lasts about four to six months, you can still
save a substantial amount of money in that time frame.
With an audit, you will learn if the heating and cooling systems in your home are
efficient. You will also learn how to save on hot water and electricity. You can do your
own home energy audit, or pay a professional to do it for you. Either way you will find
out some things that you probably never knew or thought about.
You need to conduct a walkthrough in your home. Once you start, you will find things
that you probably did not pay attention to in the past. Make a list of the things that you
find such as cracks in the walls, etc.
Professional Home Energy Audits
Professionals that conduct home energy audits are very detailed. They are supposed to
examine each room of your home. They should also take a look of some of your utility
bills from the past.
The auditor will conduct a blower door test and a thermographic scan. This kind of scan
uses a special infrared camera that can detect hot spots in your home. They are usually
combined with a blower door test. With this test, if there is an air leak, it will show up as
a black streak in the viewing area of the camera.
You should list existing problems with your home that are related to your home not being
energy efficient. The auditor will look at the energy bill to determine what he needs to
focus on as they are conducting the audit.
The auditor will look at the outside of your home to see how big or small it is. They will
also need to know if anyone stays home during the day and how many people live in the
home. The auditor will also need to know if every room in the house is being used.
You will need to let the auditor know what the average temperature is that you set for the
winter season. They may use other equipment to determine where the loss of energy is
coming from in your home.
From your answers, the auditor will be able to help you find ways that you can cut back
on your energy costs to save money. As they continue looking around, accompany them
and don't be afraid to ask questions. After all, this is your house and you do want to save
money during the winter months.
If you need to find a home energy auditor, check with your state or local government
agency. They may be able to refer you to someone who is reputable. Check with your
utility company to see if they can recommend someone. The utility companies also have
people who can conduct home energy audits.
Before you make a decision on an auditor, get some references and make sure they pan
out. Ask about the auditor's work. Contact the Better Business Bureau to see if they
have any complaints against them.
Air Leaks
If you find any air leaks (drafts), note them on your list. You can save up to 30% or
possibly more per year once you get those taken care of. Look for things such as
baseboard gaps, gaps at the edge of the floor, gaps in walls and ceilings.
Check those
areas to see if you feel air coming through. You would be amazed at the items you may
find that need repairing.
Other places where you should check for drafts include:
ï‚· Window frames
ï‚· Electrical outlets
ï‚· Doors that have weather stripping
ï‚· Attic hatches
ï‚· Fireplace dampers
ï‚· Air conditioners that are mounted to a wall or window
ï‚· Pipes and wires
ï‚· Seals in the foundation of the home
If you can rattle windows and doors, there may be a possible air leak. Daylight in a door
or window frame can constitute an air leak. Use caulking or weatherstripping to seal up
the air leaks. Make sure the storm windows in your home are not broken.
If your home has old doors and windows, you will eventually need to replace them with
those that are of high-performance and are durable.
Water Heaters
If you have a water heater that is currently set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, you can
probably lower it by at least 20 degrees. You will still be able to take advantage of
saving energy and money.
Have you ever thought about having a tankless water heater installed? The ones with
water can be a victim to standby heat loss. Since the water tank is required to have hot
water all of the time, it will wait until you are the one that needs it.
When you are not
using the hot water, there is a cycle with heating up the water and allowing it to cool until
it's time to heat it up again.
Hot water that is used will cause cold water to come back into the tank. The cold water
helps to keep the tank full. As long as the water stays cool, more energy will be used to
heat it up.
With a tankless water heater, the water will heat up when you need it to. The pipes will
heat up when you turn on the hot water at the sink. The water will continue to heat up
until you turn it off.
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