Energy Efficiency in Homes

By George Scott

 Building energy efficient homes and improving energy efficiency in our homes can increase their value.

Over the past few years, there has been a ground swell of Green building interest by home buyers and builders. In response to the growing demand to conserve energy in our homes, there are several new mortgage programs that allow home buyers to finance the cost of energy improvements into their mortgage, to increase their loan-to-value, or improve their qualifying ratios. Some of the more common improvements that are used to make homes more energy efficient include the addition of new windows, high efficiency heating/cooling systems, and improved insulation. All of these contribute to reduced energy use, and also to making homes quieter, more comfortable, and more desirable. 
Mortgage Programs 
These programs allow buyers to purchase a more expensive home that has a lower cost of ownership to offset the larger mortgage payment. There are 2 types of financing options available that cover a variety of scenarios for energy efficient homes.

o Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEM's) allow borrowers to qualify for a larger loan, using expanded income ratios, sometimes with the same down payment.

o Energy Improvement Mortgages (EIM's) allow borrowers to include in the mortgage the cost of making an existing home more energy efficient, when they refinance or purchase the home. 
These products are available through your local mortgage brokers and banks using FNMA, FHLMC, FHA, and VA guidelines.

Why You Should Enclose Your Home's Crawl Space

Most homes have either a crawl space or a basement. Crawlspaces have several advantages to basements. Crawlspaces elevate the home above the ground and are much less expensive than a basement. Crawlspaces also make space for duct work and plumbing to run and are easily accessible for contractors. Crawlspaces are great however, without taking proper precautions they can breed mold and mildew and allow moisture to compromise the structure of your home. Insulating a crawl space is in your best interest for many reasons. Here I have outlined the top reasons to insulate and seal your home's crawlspace.

Want a Warm House? Don’t Just Insulate.

Air seal! The most boring word and concept that can make all the difference in energy saving and comfort. Granted, I once said rising damp was the least interesting but important building science term, I think we can make a case for air sealing. Why is it important (and possibly more important) than just adding more insulation?

What Folks Think the Problem Is

When a house is cold and uncomfortable, the first thought is adding more insulation. This is a compelling thought for a few reasons. First, it’s a problem most homeowners can solve in a weekend. Assuming we’re talking about an open attic, a trip to the local big box for some rolls of fiberglass or a blower machine is all the solution needed.

Second, it’s a known and understood problem. The average homeowner may not have a clue about installing a fuse box or replacing the wax ring on a toilet but we all (we think) understand that more insulation = warmer.

This thinking causes a common issue: a fluffy pink fiberglass band-aid over a gaping wound that allowing heat to stream out. Folks pile on the insulation but haven’t air sealed. I’ll say this as clear as I can: Do not add more air permeable insulation until you air seal.

What The Problem Actually Is

The building enclosure has several control layers: the thermal layer (insulation), air and vapor controls. If there are paths for air to escape, your walls and ceiling are only doing a part of the job.

Home Insulation Tips to Save You Money

High heating bills are something all of us have become accustom to. As the prices of heating gases and oil go up, homeowners pay more and more to keep their homes comfortable. Some of the price increases can be offset by increasing home insulation. Most homeowners can save 25% or more on home heating costs by making a few home improvements!

Older homes typically need a denver insulation upgrade much more frequently than newer builds. It is a mistake, though to assume that your newer home is as well-insulated as possible. Many homes built after 1980 have inferior insulation ratings because building codes are not up-to-date with DOE recommendations. Also, occasionally home-builders do try to save money on little things like insulation to lower build costs.

 

The following are simple and inexpensive steps you can take to lower your heating costs this winter:

Three DIY Improvements That Lower Hot Water Costs

Your parents were right, paying more than you need for hot water is the same as pouring money down the drain. Making some small improvements to your home can help you save money on your energy bill. Whether it's cleaning a dryer vent, or fixing a leaky faucet, small investments can make big changes to your energy bill.

Aerators
Installing a faucet aerator is sure to save you money. Aerators work by mixing air into the water stream. The result is a high pressure stream of water that uses less water than a solid stream. An added benefit to aerators is that the aerated stream does not splash. In normal household use aerators installed on you kitchen and bathroom faucets can save the BTUs needed to heat several hundred gallons of hot water a year.The best aerators are rated for a flow of 2.5 gallons per minute or less for kitchen faucets and 1 gallon per minuet for bathrooms. Aerators are made to fit faucets with spouts that are threaded either on the inside or outside. Some aerators are available with a swivel feature to direct the stream where you wish. When installing a new aerator place the washer (this should be provided with your aerator) on the aerator and screw it on by hand.

Replacing Old Shower Heads

When you replace an old shower head with a newer low-flow head you can save an enormous amount on your hot water costs. The new shower head should be rated no higher than 2.5 gallons per minute. To install the new shower head, tape the jaws of a pipe wrench to avoid scratching the finish. Use the tapped wrench to keep the shower arm from turning while you unscrew the old shower head using an adjustable wrench or a second taped pipe wrench. The new show head will screw directly onto the shower arm unless it has a pivoting ball joint at the end. If your new shower head has a ball joint, you'll need a

5 Common Mistakes of New Energy Auditors

No doubt if you follow energy or environmental issues, you’ve heard over and over again that the least expensive way to tackle our energy difficulties is through efficiency. One report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) suggested that $168.6 billion could be saved through energy efficiency by 2020. Still, some of those close to the ground have heard horror stories on how the whole process is sometimes carried out in real life.

Significant energy savings cannot happen without a comprehensive energy audit. Quality energy audits followed by sound retrofits result in substantial energy savings. Poorly executed energy audits, no matter how good the retrofit, result in lower-than-expected savings, wasted investment, angry building owners, and a bad name for energy conservation.

Studies have shown a wide discrepancy in actual savings after energy audits. While some projects have delivered energy savings of less than 10% of original energy costs, others have successfully delivered savings of 40% and more.

This divergence is not a mystery. Experienced energy auditors have learned to avoid the mistakes that lead to underperforming retrofits, disappointed customers and a struggling referral business. Persuading homeowners and businesses of the benefits of energy efficiency can often feel like an uphill battle; there is no need to add the barrier of a poor review by committing the mistakes others have made.

Mistake #1 – Underestimating Installed Costs and/or overestimating savings

One can reasonably expect that if they install energy efficient light bulbs, they will lower their energy bill. But exactly how much will they save and how much more do the efficient light bulbs cost?

How A Home Energy Audit Can Save You Money

Whenever your local electrician performs an energy audit, the principle that they follow is fairly simple. During the audit, they will check throughout your home to help identify the areas that are using electricity inefficiently. After they have pinpointed the wasteful areas, they can suggest and implement steps to remedy this. Most electricians are trained in the areas that are most common inefficient energy consumers and can conduct a home energy audit for you. While it may be tempting to try to do your own energy audit, you can expect much more accurate results and long-term solutions by hiring a professional.

One of the first things that your electrician will check is your lighting. They will start by examining your fixtures and the bulbs that are being used in each one. Because incandescent light bulbs are incredibly inefficient (they result in more heat than light), your electrician will recommend replacing them with much more energy efficient compact fluorescent or LED light bulbs. Although it may seem like a small step, replacing all of the incandescent light bulbs in your home with energy efficient alternatives can have a huge impact on your electricity usage.

In addition to examining the type of lights used in each fixture, an experienced electrician will also look at the purpose of the lights in each room. If a room can benefit from dimmer switches, timers, motion sensors or any other type of lighting automation technology, then it may be recommended to you. These types of technologies can help turn lights on and off only when needed so that you are not wasting electricity when you are out of the room.

Blanketing Your Water Heater

Heating your water is an expensive task that usually represents 20-40% of your utility bill.  Wrapping your water heater with an insulation blanket can save some of this money by slowing the rate of temperature drop as the water rests in your tank.  With the water staying hotter for a longer period of time, the water heater remains off more of the time and will save you money and energy use.

Not all water heaters need a blanket however, some energy-efficient models have a thick layer of insulation inside the tank that is sufficient enough.  Insulation blankets for water heaters less protected against heat loss are available at home centers and hardware stores.  You can install one in a few easy steps that requires a few cuts for fitting.  Some blankets are even manufactured to fit certain models and require no cutting at all.  For these blankets, you need to know your water heater size in gallons and usually the manufacturer.