9 Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient - Part 1

Harvey M Sachs, PhD and director of the Buildings Program at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy came up with the following 9 methods that a home owner can utilize in order to become more efficient.



1. Make sure your walls and attic are well insulated. When one has insulation properly installed, it can dramaticallyslow the rate that heat leaves the house. If your walls are already insulated, this does not usually present a problem. However, in homes where walls have not been insulated properly and instead have cavities where hot air can leak out, it would be prudent to look into blown-in insulation to fill up those empty spaces.



2. Upgrade or replace windows. Often times, in older houses, windows can have a tendency to "leak." When you begin to think about replacing them, it is best to look into those windows with an Energy Star rating. However, do not go out and purchase windows just in the attempt to be more energy efficient. Because windows account for less than fifteen percent of heat loss, it would be wiser to look into other areas to become more efficient.



3. Plant shade trees and shrubs around the house. One way to combat the presence of poor insulation within walls and windows is to plant greenery. The benefits of trees and shrubs are twofold. Not only do they block the sun's hot rays in the summer with the foliage, they allow these same rays through in the winter due the barren branches on the plants.



4. Replace an older furnace with a high-efficiency system. Furnaces built prior to 1992 may be wasting an unbelievable thirty-five percent of the fuel used. There are updated furnaces on the market that will waste ten percent or less of the fuel used. The annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) may be determined through the aid of a heating service technician or energy auditor.



5. Improve the efficiency of your hot water system. The first step is to turn the setting on the hot water heater down to warm, which is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, insulate hot water lines, reducing their ability to cool in between uses. The use of low-flow fixtures will increase efficiency when used for showers and baths. Rather than replacing a perfectly good hot water heater, try the above steps.



Steps 6 through 9 will be discussed in the next article... so stay tuned!