How to Increase Your Homes’ Energy Efficiency

By hicaliber | January 8, 2014 |

Does your heater run nearly non-stop during the winter? Are your cooling bills skyrocketing during the summer? If you answered yes to either of these questions there are a number of steps to make your house more energy efficient. Having an energy efficient house can save you thousands upon thousands of dollars, especially with the cost of energy spiraling out of control.
Your first step is a thorough inspection of your home. If you choose to do this step yourself, make sure that you pay careful attention to all outside openings – doors, windows, and vents – anywhere air can seep into your home. Check for cracks in exterior walls, especially on the outside of your house. Verify that you don’t have leakage in your ducts.
It’s also possible to have a certified home inspector check out your house, to ensure that you don’t miss anything. Such an inspection will result in a written document that you can use as a blue print for solving problems.
The next step is to priorities all problems, tackling those that cause the largest energy drain first. Worn weather stripping should be replaced and cracks should be filled, etc.
Replace your air filter and have all vents cleaned. Look for a professional who offers a six-point cleaning service, including over-looked details such as the furnace fan and the air-conditioning coils.
Replace any single-paned windows with double-paned windows. Repair any cracks in moldings and wall surfaces.
As a final step you can install a radiant barrier on your trusses. This alone can save thousands of dollars. A radiant barrier (such as SmartFoils) reflects up to 97% of the sun’s energy back into the sky during the summer, and traps interior heat in during the winter.
If you have any questions about how to improve your home’s energy efficiency, please give the experts at HiCaliber a call. We would be happy to provide answers for you.
The HiCaliber Team
PS If your utilities are stealing your money from you, please take action today to shore up your home against the elements.