7 Steps to Energy Savings

If you are afraid to open your gas or electric bill each month, reducing your home's energy use should be a priority of yours. Energy efficiency and pleasant indoor environment work hand in hand.  In this article you will learn how to evaluate your home's energy performance, determine where the biggest savings lie and maintain a healthy indoor environment.  You can find your home more comfortable and reduce your utility bills by following these 7 simple steps:

1. Hire an Energy Auditor
   When it comes to saving energy, it is worth hiring a pro to evaluate your home and help you sort out the many possible energy-savings strategies.  If you are not sure how to find an energy audit company in your area, contact the local utility company to find energy auditors. It may supply this service for free or recommend an auditor.
   An energy audit typically costs between $250-450 and can be subsidized through a tax credit or community program.  The energy auditor will inspect your home and rate its current performance in terms of insulation levels, air leakage, condition of heating and air conditioning equipment and some other criteria.  The auditor can then tell you which upgrades are cost effective and estimate your energy savings. Cost-effectiveness is the absolute key! You can spend thousands of dollars for upgrades that won't save you much and a good auditor will steer you away from those. For an improvement to be worthwhile, the estimate savings should cover the cost of the improvement in about seven years.  An example being adding $200 in attic insulation will be worth it if you can save $30 a year ($210 after seven years).  Make sure the audit includes estimated savings for any improvements.
2. Reduce Air Leakage
   Think of the warm air leaking out through gaps, cracks and holes in your home's walls and ceilings as your energy dollars floating away.  Sealing these openings is one of the greatest ways to save energy and is actually the most cost effective too.  Stopping air leaks in your attic is usually enough. You don't have to work your way through every room caulking every crack inside and out - you just need to cover the largest.
3. Conserve Energy
   There are hundreds of energy savings steps that cost little to no money. Some ideas involve small investment of time and money like a programmable thermostat or caulking around windows, lowering the temperature on your water heater and closing your curtains.
4. Buy High Efficiency Windows
   Windows are the weakest link in your home's outer defenses against heat loss, accounting for about 17-20 percent of the heat loss in the typical home. But windows are also expensive so it isn't cost effective to replace them just to save energy. If they're worn out, it is cost effective in all but the southernmost regions to upgrade to double-pane windows with low-E coatings. Your window specialist will help you choose the type of coating that works best, depending on whether you mostly need to slow heat loss and solar gain.
5. Add Insulation
   Adding 6 inches of insulation to an uninsulated attic will reap substantial energy savings in your home. Add 6 more inches and you'll get additional energy savings but to a lesser degree. To find the point of diminishing returns, consult the energy charts on www.owenscorning.com and find the recommended values are based on climate, fuel costs and other factors. Adding more than the suggested amounts will result in a longer payback period for your investment.
6. Shade Your Home
   Shading is the best way you can save energy dollars in the summertime with your own sweat equity. Shading saves energy because it blocks out direct sunlight that is responsible for about 50 percent of the heat gain in your home. Most of it strikes the roof and works its way through the attic and down your ceilings.  Steps like planting trees, attaching awnings and extending roof overhangs will shade the most vulnerable windows.
7. Stop Air Conditioning and Duct Leakage
   Studies have shown that an average of air duct systems lose 10 to 40 percent  of the cool air through gaps in the duct joints. The cooling is wasted when the ducts run outside and interior conditioned space such as an attic or crawl space. While sealing your air ducts is a common practice, few air conditioned homes have had this done. Sealing air ducts is difficult and you will have to rely on a professional company to test your air ducts for leakage and to retest to show the effectiveness of their work.

If you live in Colorado and need to consult with an energy auditor, contact REenergizeCO (720) 530-5259 or visit their office at 800 E. 73rd Ave. Unit 21 Denver, CO 80229