Think Big. Start Small. Wise Weatherizing
Enhancing the energy efficiency and comfort of your home while reducing your energy bill and your carbon footprint.
Enhancing the energy efficiency and comfort of your home while reducing your energy bill and your carbon footprint.
Our Think Big. Start Small. series explores simple things we can do to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. The first in our series talked about the icon for the idea itself…the light bulb. And making the switch to LED lighting. Now that your path is illuminated with energy-efficient LED lighting, we’ll take a look at simple ways to weatherize your home. Good insulation and effective air sealing are great ways to reduce conditioned air from leaking out and pollutants and allergens from finding their way in. If these strategies are not in the cards for you at this point, there are a host of things you can do to make your living space more comfortable and energy efficient. And pump up the quality of the indoor air you breathe while lowering your carbon footprint. Simple, cost-effective strategies you can easily employ include:
- Take out your trusty compass and find South. Use shading strategies to temper heat from the sun during the day. Special blinds and curtains that buffer light and sound are easily available and can do the trick.
- Do an evening or over-night air exchange. Open windows after the sun sets when the air is cooler. And close them in the morning before the sun starts streaming in. If you need to warm up a space, let the sun shine in. You’ll want to aim for a consistent air temperature without huge vacillations. That keeps things more comfortable and less costly.
- Check around windows and doors for leaks. A major waste of energy is air you’ve heated or cooled seeping out. There are various materials and methods you can use to help seal up those leaky spots.
- Don’t forget to change your air filters. A dirty filter not only can’t do its job of keeping the air clean, it can actually cause you to waste energy. Now, for a moment of science—a dirty filter increases static pressure and makes it harder for air to pass through the filter. Check with your local hardware expert on the recommended frequency of changing these out. Most need to be replaced every 30 to 90 days depending on the type and quality you use.
- Keep thermostats set at a comfortable, yet conservative level. Take a lesson from Goldie Locks and find a temp that’s juuuuuuust right. And use the strategies we’ve suggested to keep it there. To control costs, word has it that the temperature should be set to not exceed the high side—say 68. And air cooling (if you have it) should be set at 72 or a little higher, depending on the outside temperature in your area.
Stay tuned for more tips on ways to Think Big. Start Small. If you have questions or want more information, feel free to contact us using our convenient form or email us at info@carmelbuilding.com.
