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Energy
Helper
Home Check List
Air
Infiltration
One
of the most important things you can do to help improve heating
and cooling efficiency is to reduce the amount of air infiltration
in your home. Here are some ways to do that:
Seal
all holes and cracks around doors and windows using caulk or low
expanding foam sealant. For cracks that are ¼-inch or less,
use siliconized caulk. Use spray foam sealant for larger cracks
and holes. In shim spaces around windows and doors, use low-expanding
foam.
Also use caulk or foam to seal other areas where air can enter the
house from the exterior, such as around water lines, plumbing and
utility entrances. Foam rubber gaskets can be used for sealing the
area around light switches and electrical outlets.
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Insulation
A
home's heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer contribute
to higher energy costs. The ability of insulation to resist heat
transfer is known as its R-value. A higher numerical R-value means
a greater resistance to heat flow. The insulation in your home should
meet or exceed these R-values:
- walls,
R-13
- floor,
R-19 (over crawlspace or unconditioned basement)
- ceiling,
R-30
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Moisture
Control
Moisture
build-up in the crawlspace, basement or attic can undermine the
effectiveness of your insulation and can even cause structural damage
to your home.
- Proper
attic ventilation is very important. We usually recommend a continuous
ridge vent and an equal area of soffit vents.
- If
you have a crawlspace, you can help prevent moisture problems
and reduce humidity in your home by rolling out thick sheets of
plastic (10 millimeter plastic ground cover) across the ground
surface.
- Also,
using exhaust fans (preferably ones with humidity sensors) in
the bathrooms and kitchen helps to reduce interior moisture.
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Ductwork
A
leaky duct system can increase heating and cooling costs by as much
as 30 percent, so it really pays to make sure ductwork is properly
installed and leakage is minimized.
- All
ductwork seams and joints need to be properly sealed to prevent
air leaks and maintain air quality.A
mastic paste, rather than duct tape, is recommended for a tight,
lasting seal.
- Ductwork
should have a minimum R-6 insulation (2½-inch duct wrap).
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Windows
& Doors
Due
to low insulating qualities and infiltration, doors and windows
are the largest energy losers in a home, accounting for up to an
average 25 percent of energy loss. A significant amount of heat
and air can enter or leave a house through windows even when they're
closed. Remember these tips:
- Windows
should be double-paned, but if your house has single-pane windows,
storm windows can be added.
- Use
weather-stripping, caulk and sealant to fill shim spaces and other
open areas around windows.
- Metal-framed
windows should have a thermal break.
- If
you are building a new home or remodeling, consider using insulated
windows with low-e glass. The low-e (low emissivity) coatings
reflect window heat inside in winter and outside in summer and
can improve a window's R-value by at least 50 percent.
- The
total glassed area of your home's exterior should not exceed 15
percent of the total square footage of the home's conditioned
(heated and cooled) space.
- Metal
insulated foam core doors or solid wood doors are recommended.
Any windows contained in the doors should be double-paned.
- The
right type of doors should be combined with weather-stripping,
caulking and sealing or insulating of shim spaces.
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