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More Heating Cost Lowering Projects •Look for holes in your house and fill them: An electrician runs conduit for a new appliance through the siding in your home; the cable guy drills a hole in the wall to run cable into a room in your home; the plumber drills a hole in an exterior wall. These are some of the obvious examples of holes in your house that might be allowing precious energy to escape. There are other less obvious examples, such as at the base or top of walls where plumbing pipes and electrical wires make their way into attics, crawl spaces and basements. Thanks to expanding polyurethane spray foam that’s available in a can, you can simply spray a little foam into the gap, and it immediately expands to permanently seal the hole. We refer to it as “home maintenance in a can.” Although polyurethane foam is great stuff for large gaps, caulk is best used for narrow cracks. •Seal windows and doors: Test a window or door for energy leaks by holding a lighted candle near all joints and connections. If the candle flickers, you have an air leak. Narrow gaps and cracks around windows and doors are best filled using caulk. The kind of caulk to use depends on the area being caulked. Glass, metal, wood, plastic and other surfaces respond differently to caulk. Read the manufacturer’s label carefully before making your purchase. •Add insulation: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, adding insulation is one of the most cost-effective means of saving energy and improving comfort. And when it comes to insulation, the attic is the best place to begin. You might think that your attic is well-insulated because you remember seeing some of that furry stuff up there the last time you peeked into the attic to store your holiday decorations. The truth is that if you haven’t had an energy audit in the past 10 years, the insulation might not be thick enough (R-value) or, for older homes, the material might be compacted, which greatly reduces its efficiency. Many local utility companies will perform a free home energy audit that will offer information on where and how much insulation your home might need. In addition to the attic, exterior walls and floors are prime candidates for insulation upgrades. •Use fluorescent lights: Have you visited the light bulb section of your local hardware store or home center lately? If you haven’t, you are in for a real surprise. The selection of compact fluorescent light bulbs now rivals that of its incandescent counterpart. There are energy-saving fluorescent lights for virtually every place an incandescent bulb can be used. They are available in the size and shape of a traditional incandescent bulb; there are spots, recess down lights and “rings” especially suited for kitchens and baths. Compact fluorescent lights cost more up front but last 10 times longer, produce less heat and use less energy. In the long run, fluorescent lights go a long way to save energy and lower utility bills. --More on Heating Projects--

Posted By Site Admin on 2005-11-26 18:46:25.92 | Topic (Heating / Cooling)