Everybody wants a comfortable home, but did you know energy efficiency upgrades not only help you save energy, but can make your home more comfortable, too? If you find yourself continually returning to the thermostat on cold winter days or unable to find relief from heat during summer, these are signs your home needs an efficiency upgrade.
No matter the home, energy efficiency upgrades often start with the same basic principle — keep outside air from coming inside and keep conditioned inside air from leaking outside. Some upgrades can dramatically improve the comfort of your home.
A fully insulated home, including attic, walls and floor, is more comfortable. It’s like a blanket for your home. Air sealing is a lesser-known efficiency upgrade that keeps air from entering and exiting the home through cracks and gaps. Some air sealing can be done from inside the home, like using expanding foam around plumbing pipes and drains under sinks, adding gaskets to outlets on exterior walls, caulking around windows or weatherstripping around doors.
Attics and crawl spaces offer additional opportunities to reduce air leakage and increase comfort. In the attic, sealing gaps around top plates, open soffit areas, cove ceilings and balloon framing can help keep conditioned air where it belongs. In the basement or crawl space, seal around plumbing pipes and drains, vents and electrical wires. If you need help, contact a local contractor.
As a self-proclaimed energy geek, my first move when my husband and I bought our first home years ago was to air seal and insulate the attic, walls and rim joists in the basement. The difference in comfort was instant. The temperature swings from the furnace cycling on and off were dramatically reduced. The home felt warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
Another benefit of insulating was a surprising reduction in noise from outside. We lived about 15 minutes away from the airport and close to a busy road. When the windows and doors were closed, we could no longer hear the airplanes, and the traffic noise was almost unnoticeable.
Duct sealing can also improve the comfort of your home. Your ductwork delivers heated or cooled air in a forced-air HVAC system. If there are disconnections or leaks in the ducts, the air you paid to heat or cool may not end up where you want it. Disconnects and leaks can cause hot or cold spots in a home. An HVAC professional can inspect or test your ducts to make sure they are connected and sealed properly.
Air sealing and duct sealing can also improve the air quality in your home. Air leakage between the conditioned area of the home and the attic or crawl space can introduce dust, pollen, mold or other allergens you don’t want to breathe. Reducing air leakage can reduce the chance of these things circulating throughout your home.
Upgrading to a heat pump can also boost comfort and efficiency. Heat pump technology is often about three times as efficient as electric resistance heat because it uses refrigerant to move heat instead of creating it. If you’re upgrading from electric or gas heat, a heat pump can efficiently heat and cool your home, making it comfortable year-round.
If you already have a heat pump or forced-air HVAC system, annual maintenance and regularly changing your filter maximizes system operation and comfort.
Consider improving your home’s comfort by completing these energy efficiency upgrades. Your family — and wallet — will thank you.
Photo courtesy of Mark Gilliland
