In an April 2021 column, Peter Tertzakian wrote about how Canadian homeowners would be receiving subsidies to make their homes more energy-efficient. While the USA does not have the same carbon taxes as in Tertzakian’s province of Alberta, devoting some thought to your home’s energy efficiency is still valid when it comes to homeowners in the US (and around the world).
Whether you’re thinking about how you can make your own home more energy efficient, or you’re in the market for a new home for yourself and your family, these same considerations are important to consider. What can you look for to make sure you will not be throwing money away on heating and air conditioning bills as the comfy inside air leaks out into the neighborhood?
Here are five things to look for when evaluating your home’s energy consumption:
1. Are Your Windows Double-Paned?
If a house has old, single-paned windows, then those windows – and their surrounding window frames – are probably letting a lot of warmth and cooling pass through or around them. Replacement windows, especially those that are double- or triple-paned, will keep cooled-off rooms cooler in the summer, and keep heated rooms toastier in the winter. Windows can let a huge amount of heat pass through, particularly those older models. Some houses in Cincinnati still have the same windows they had in the 1950s, believe it or not. In those cases, the house is most certainly drafty all winter. The older your windows are, the better the investment in new windows – you’re probably losing enough from your energy bills to justify the cost pretty quickly! Replacement windows are one of the best investments you can make in the energy efficiency of your home, both from an environmental perspective, and from a cost-savings perspective.
2. Does Your Ceiling Drywall Feel Hot?
This is a good way to tell if your attic is well-insulated. If the drywall of the ceiling feels hot during the summer, then your insulation is insufficient. Hardware stores sell heat sensing guns, too, if you want to take specific readings of those ceiling temperatures. Your ceiling should be, more or less, the same temperature as the walls of your room. (Your ceiling might be a little warmer, since heat rises.)
3. Do Your AC Vents Have Streaks Next to Them?
If there are dust streaks next to your heating and cooling vents, then those ducts are leaking. If your ducts are leaking, then the house is wasting a lot of its treated air.
4. Are Some Rooms Much Hotter or Colder Than Others?
These big heat differentials also indicate leaking ducts, a sub-optimal heating or cooling setup, or ducts that were improperly installed to begin with. It also may mean that the insulation is inconsistent throughout your house. Homes should be somewhat uniform in temperature, if the HVAC is working right.
5. How’s Your Insulation?
If you haven’t inspected or upgraded your home’s insulation in recent memory, you should have a home exterior company like us come and take a look at the state of your attic insulation. Improving your home’s attic insulation is a very effective and reasonably priced way to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
If you’re in the Cincinnati area, we can help you with whatever you need to improve your home’s energy efficiency situation. From insulation to replacement windows to solar tiles for your roof, we’ve got answers to your home energy consumption problems here at Harper Siding & Roofing. Let us handle the hassle of sorting out how to make your home energy smarter!