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A couple of weeks ago, I embarked on a mission to help central Texans cut their heating costs this winter without sacrificing comfort. This week’s blog will focus on inexpensive ways homeowners and small business owners can prepare for the chilly central Texas evenings, and reduce heating costs by up to 20% this winter.
This second installment of small things to save big this winter will focus on cool ways to stay warm this winter in your home or office…
- Replace air filters every 30 days. Yes, I know that air filter manufacturers claim that air filters last up to 90 days. The important phrase in that statement is “up to” 90 days. Air filters are tested in a laboratory environment and may not be subject to the extreme conditions in central Texas, especially with the significant amount of allergens that circulate during the winter months. Air filters must accomplish three things: hold dust (measured by the amount of grams the filter will hold), maximize airflow (measured in resistance), and stop small particles (measured in the PERCENTAGE of particles of a certain micron size captured by the filter). Look for filters which hold 200+ grams of dust, have a resistance of .20 or less, and capture at least 10% of particles 5 microns in size.
- Don’t buy cheap weather stripping. While less expensive, most self-adhesive foams installed around doors and windows will become unseated after a few days of installation, especially with heavy use. Instead, utilize either bronze, or aluminum and vinyl strips around doors and windows. Once installed, they will remain in place.
- Install heavy duty door sweeps to exterior doors. If you can slide a piece of paper between the door bottom and threshold, the door sweep is either installed incorrectly, or is not long enough. Many people complain that double-sided and heavy duty door sweeps limit functionality of doors, or scratch the floor surface. Heavy duty single-sided door sweeps are adequate as long as they span the length of the door to cover gaps. As an alternative, there are automatic door sweeps, which are spring-loaded, raise up when the door is open, and form a tight seal when the door is closed.
- Seal your attic hatch. Whether your home or office has pull down stairs, walk-in attic access, or scuttle hole access; the Department of Energy (DOE) reports that up to 20% of unconditioned and unfiltered air from the attic enters the home through this access point. Make sure the attic access hatch can be completely attached to the attic floor, contains a radiant and thermal barrier to prevent radiant heat from entering the building.
- Seal leaks and penetration points in your home and/or office. Austin Energy and CPS Energy have conduced thousands of energy audits since 2009. Both public utilities report that the average 2,000 sq ft home contains over a mile and a half of cracks and holes where unwanted air can penetrate the living/office space. Using 30- or 40-year caulk, seal the following plumbing penetrations (remember to look behind the metal/plastic ring covering the water supply): sinks, toilets, shower heads, water heater supply lines. Seal around exhaust fans, air supply registers, return registers, light fixtures, and ceiling fans – FROM THE ATTIC. Why from the attic? Because when the furnace is running, it creates what is known as negative pressure in the living/office space, where the heating system sucks air through the return registers. The negative pressure pulls unconditioned and unfiltered air from the attic, resulting in your furnace running longer, and wasting energy.
You can save an additional 20-40% on heating and cooling costs, and increase the comfort by making energy efficient upgrades to your home or office. Not only can you save with these home energy saver ideas, but saving energy can also be accomplished by installing energy efficient upgrades such as whole house air sealing, duct sealing, attic insulation, attic ventilation, radiant barrier, wall foam insulation, and spray foam insulation. Schedule an energy performance assessment today.
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