As the East Coast digs out from under The Great 2009 Blizzard; it’s a great wake-up call for the rest of us to plan for weather extremes. Improving the energy efficiency of our homes saves money on heating bills and keeps us warmer and more comfortable indoors. During the winter months, it’s easy to see and feel just exactly where you might need an airlock entry and mudroom or storm windows to reduce drafts and make your home easier to keep warm.
Winterize Yourself and Your Home
These first few steps are so simple that you can put them into action without spending much money.
- Layer up for winter to keep comfortable, rather than turning up the thermostat higher and higher. Slippers, sweaters, lap blankets, and fleece layers can all help keep you warm indoors when you aren’t active.
- Put up storm doors and windows for the season. Dodge drafts by sealing air leaks (windows, doors, attic access, vents, power outlets, around plumbing).
- Winterize air conditioners and outside water lines.
- Check, clean, and replace filters on air intakes and furnaces.
- Clean gutters and downspouts, and make sure that water is directed away from your home’s foundation. If you live close to tall trees, you might need to check your gutters frequently during leaf fall to make sure all of the fallen leaves don’t block the drains.
Budget Now for Cold Winters to Come
These next few winterization steps take a little extra planning and budgeting.
- Inspect and tune up your heating system.
- Install a smart programmable thermostat that heats to different temperatures at different times, and has day-by-day programming. This way, you don’t have to rely on your memory to turn it up and down. Your house will be cool at night, warm when you get up, warm in the evening, and you won’t need to remember to reset it.
- Install an electronic filter to keep indoor air cleaner. Install a fresh air intake with a heat exchanger to keep indoor air quality good. Get a ‘whole house’ infiltration test done, so that you know where the leaks and heat-loss areas are; then you can systematically fix those problems.
How To Plan for an Easy To Heat, Leak-Free Home
To be truly snug, you will eventually need to spend money. But the payoff is big-a tight leak-free, easy to heat home. Think of this as your 3- to 5-year plan, and tackle improvements one at a time.
For example, in our home, budgeting for energy efficiency became a fine art. We added new storm windows on one wall each year, starting with the East-facing, coldest weather wall. Next, we wanted to add new attic insulation, but that had to wait until we did some sub-roof work first. But the sub-roof work had to wait on us installing a new foundation, which also straightened the roofline and necessitated a new north chimney. You get the idea-planning often becomes a “domino effect,” so plan, then budget, and then improve. Here are…
More Energy Efficiency Tips
- Replace old windows and doors with energy efficient windows. Or if you don’t already have them, with storm windows and doors.
- Check your furnace’s age; it might be time for a new highly efficient unit.
- Boost insulation in floors, ceilings, and walls. Add as much insulation as there is space to fill up: 25% above code is a good goal; 50% is better.
- Explore one of several ways to thicken the depth of walls for more insulation in existing homes.
- When replacing roofs and siding, use more durable materials. This reduces maintenance costs over several decades.
Besides Energy Efficient Heating, Budget for Efficient Power Systems
When investigating on-site power systems, conservation comes first. After adding more insulation, heat exchangers, storm windows and plugging the leaks, the next step to push your energy bills way down is to add on-site power generation.
The first kind of solar-power-tapping system to install is solar-heated hot water. Check to see if you have a good solar location–a good site has 6-8 hours of sunlight per day, especially around solar noon. In most states, adding a solar-powered system qualifies you for a homeowner tax rebate, along with federal tax credits. A well-designed solar hot water system will save you money anytime the sun shines.
After generating your own solar hot water, you can advance to photovoltaic systems and even wind systems, if you have the space, and live on a good wind resource site. No good solar exposures? You might have the space for in-ground heat exchanger, often called a geothermal heat exchanger. It’s a very efficient system for delivering warm and cool air, and hot water to your home.
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