BRRRR Here a Few Tips To Save Some Energy

Suddenly winter here is here and I find myself standing in front of my thermostat disbelieving the temperature reading of the room, and wondering should I push the heat setting up. We all want to be budget conscious where our utility bills are concerned, but we also want to be comfortable in our home. Here are a few affordable things that can be done to winterize our homes.

•       Block Air Leaks. To find these leaks use an incense stick and walk around the house holding it in front of suspect areas such as windows, door frames, recessed lighting, and electrical outlets. Use door sweeps to close the space at the bottom of doors, and apply caulk to doors and windows where needed. Use outlet gaskets to the electrical outlets
•       Add More Insulation. The rule of thumb is a home needs a minimum of 12 inches of insulating in your attic. If you can see the ceiling joists you know you don’t have enough because a joist is at most 10 or 11 inches. When laying atop of existing insulation don’t use the insulation with the paper backing as the paper acts as a vapor barrier which can cause moisture problems.
•       Check the Furnace. Schedule a maintenance check for your furnace/HVAC unit. Also you should be changing the filter on your furnace on a regular basis. (monthly)
•       Clean and Check The Duct-work. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a home with central heating can lose up to 60% of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if duct-work is not well-connected and insulated, or if it must travel through unheated spaces. Make sure all the connections to the vents are snug, and that none of the duct-work is pinched reducing airflow. If the duct-work has not been cleaned in several years, then it’s time to schedule this. All the gunk that floats down the vents into the duct-work can reduce airflow in addition to causing respiratory problems.
•       Fix Leaky Windows. If you have storm windows, definitely put them in. If you don’t you can purchase a window insulator kit. The kit is a sheet of plastic that you ‘shrink wrap’ to the interior of your window using a hair dryer to tighten the seal. This can be removed in the spring. Replace old caulking with a fresh bead along the exterior of the windows. Watch this
  
  1 minute video on window caulking from the Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford website.
•       Reverse Your Ceiling Fan. This is one of the easiest things that can be done. Don’t waste the heat, push it back down by simply switching the direction of your ceiling fan.
•       Wrap the Pipes. Check for pipes that pass through unheated spaces that are not insulated and wrap them with either fiberglass insulation or rubber sleeves.

Twelve Tips to Making a Home Energy Efficient

Making your home more energy efficient can help to reduce high energy bills, improve comfort and help to protect the environment. Here are twelve tips to become more energy efficient and save money.

•  Invest in a cool gadget like a programmable thermostat. Set thermostats at 78°F in the summer and 68°F in the winter. A programmable thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy costs.
• Install Low-flow shower heads: Simply by installing low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators ($10 to $20 each), you’ll cut your hot water consumption by 25% to 60%. 
• Insulate Your Hot Water Tank: If you have an older tank, and especially if it’s located in an unheated space, wrapping it with an insulating blanket is a cheap and easy way to reduce costs.
• Insulate Exposed Hot-Water Pipes and By insulating your hot water pipes and heater, water will arrive at the faucet 2 to 4 degrees warmer, which means you won’t have to wait as long for it to heat up, thus saving energy, water, and money.
•  Use LED's in your recessed ceiling lights, stairwell lights and inconvenient fixtures. It’s an 80% energy
  
  savings over incandescent bulbs, the LED bulb life is up to 50,000 hours longer than CFL's.

According to Georgia Power, residential heating and cooling systems account for as much as 52 percent of your home’s energy use.  This means a poorly maintained heating and air system can increase your energy bill dramatically.

• Change your air filter regularly.
• At a minimum change the filter every 3 months, but during heavy use months (summer & winter) check your filter every month to see if it is dirty enough to change.
• Have heating and cooling systems professionally serviced once a year to keep them running as efficiently as possible.
•  Seal your heating and cooling ducts. Gaps in joints and at plenums can cause your heating and cooling bills to increase by as much as 30% and can allow air contaminants to enter the home.
• Make sure all air registers or floor vents are clear of furniture so that the air can circulate freely. If your home has radiators, place heat-resistant reflectors between radiators and walls. In the winter, this will help heat the room instead of the wall.
•  Install a properly sized ENERGY STAR qualified ventilation fan in the bathroom to control moisture in the air while you shower or bathe, as well as control mold and mildew growth. Run your fan for 15 minutes after showering.
•   Install insulation in your attic. This is a fairly easy DIY project that will really make a difference in your energy and comfort of your home.

Improving energy efficiency is an important first step for homeowners interested in green remodeling. To find out more on home to becoming a more energy efficient home, and qualify for energy tax rebates go to the Energy Star website.

Remodeling Trends Include Open Spaces & Accessibility

A new AIA Home Design Trends survey says showy and large upgrades are out and functionality is in with today’s remodeling home owners. Reflecting the desire to keep homes affordable in the current weak housing market, home layouts have generally been simpler and floor plans more flexible.

“There have been some pretty significant changes over the past six years and housing preferences may have changed permanently,” says Baker. “The day of the grandiose master bath may have passed us by, and the trend of integrating the kitchen into the family space accelerated during the downturn, along with multi-use spaces and informality.” says Kermit Baker, the chief economist for the American Institute of Architects. Here are some highlights of what the survey shows with trends in  remodeling homes.

Special Purpose Rooms

Today's trends in special function rooms are toward simplicity. Optional special function rooms are limited to just a few key uses. One third of homeowners surveyed noted that the home office is the most popular special function room. Two other special function rooms that are popular are mud rooms, and outdoor living areas.  

Green and Sustainable Projects

The survey showed homeowner remodeling has two key pragmatic objectives: energy efficiency, and making homes more accessible for an aging population. More homeowners are upgrading their homes towards becoming greener. Insulation in the attic, HVAC upgrades and sealing air leaks are items that appear to be on the rise when people make home improvements. With home offices on the rise wireless telecommunications and data systems are growing in popularity as energy management systems. Other energy upgrades also include solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling systems, and water reclamation systems however they are not mainstream in most markets.

Accessibility

As homeowners prefer to age in their current home, accessibility has become a growing concern. As a result, in-home accessibility was observed to be increasing in popularity by 58 percent of residential architect respondents. As we plan to stay in our homes longer, remodeling updates include changes like first-floor master bedrooms, ramps/elevators (including adding a shaft for a future elevator), easy-to-use features for handles and faucets, and non-slip floor surfaces. Increasing in popularity are open space layouts in the home with flexible floor plans. Informal space is another lifestyle preference that remains popular.

More Outdoor Lesuiure Time

A 2012 survey showed interest in outdoor living space increasing. People may be spending more time outside, but in a leisurely fashion as there has been an increase in low-maintenance, low-irrigation landscaping. More people are going for lawn alternatives that promotes sustainability and a savings on the water bill. Rainwater catchment systems and gray water reuse are other popular outdoor features. 

A home is the greatest investment a person can make, to keep that investment safe, every day wear and tear on the home needs to be addressed. As winter slowly comes to a close it is an excellent time for some spring maintenance. As luring as it maybe to skip this type of work it is wise to take care of the little things before they become BIG PROBLEMS.

Here in Savannah our high humidity can create some big home problems. Mildew and mold is an especially prevalent issue with homes here in Savannah. On the interior of your home make sure your home’s humidity is in the proper range. Too much humidity in your home creates a breeding ground for mold, mildew and other home invaders.  Humidity control is also important for controlling indoor allergens and bacteria. A good rule of thumb depending on the season, is to keep your home between 30% and 60% relative humidity. Relative humidity can be measured with a moisture or humidity meter, a small, inexpensive ($10-$50) instrument available at many hardware stores.

In Savannah GA humidity is a constant and really effects the homes here adversely. Before the extreme heat comes now is the time to check for water and mold in your crawl space. The framing and material in the home is a like a sponge, starving for moisture, so as water enters the house it's absorbed by all the building materials. Then when the temperature warms and the humidity increases, it's perfect conditions for mold to grow. If you don't get it taken care of, you could get sick. As humidity builds in your crawl space, it creates an ideal space for mold and rot to grow. Crawl space humidity leads to all of the following problems in your home:

• Rotting & Mold
• Rusted, Corroded Metal
• Odors & Allergens
• Higher Utility Bills

Fortunately, controlling crawl space humidity is easy! Contact a professional and get a crew of crawl space contractors. They can usually install a moisture control system in less than a day.They will usually seal those crawl space vents, and then follow up by installing a crawl space vapor barrier on the walls and floors. A crawlspace dehumidifier is a great finishing touch for drying out the space and helping you to best preserve your home.

Many Savannah homes have original wood flooring, especially homes in the Victorian, Ardsley Park, and Baldwin Park districts. While inspecting your home for damp and moldy areas also check your floors. If you find some flooring that has been damaged with water you can try bleaching the area with oxalic acid. If this does not work than you will need to replace the boards.

For Savannah homeowners these tips are especially helpful on what to do in reducing humidity in your home:

• Vent appliances that produce moisture, such as clothes dryers, stoves, and kerosene heaters to the outside where possible. (Combustion appliances such as stoves and kerosene heaters produce water vapor and will increase the humidity unless vented to the outside.
• Run the bathroom fan or open the window when showering. Use exhaust fans or open windows whenever cooking, running the dishwasher or dishwashing, etc.
• Increase ventilation or air movement by opening doors and/or windows, when practical. Use fans as needed.
• Cover cold surfaces, such as cold water pipes, with insulation.
• Fix plumbing leaks and other water problems as soon as possible. Dry all items completely.
• Scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely.
• Increase air temperature.
• Clean your dehumidifier if you have one
• Use air conditioners and/or de-humidifiers when needed.

Here is a great website I found to learn about how humidity effects our homes here in Savannah.
http://www.lowcountrybasementsystems.com/crawl-space-repair/crawlspace-dehumidifier/humidity.html
Another website to follow up on mold and moisture in your home. http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html

Buying an Energy Efficient Home

When you are buying a new or previously owned home, you should consider not only the price of the home, but also the operating costs of owning the home. Energy consumption comprises a large portion of home operating costs. Heating and cooling usually comprises 45% of these costs.

Consider looking for a home that was built to Energy Star standards. ENERGY STAR qualified homes are independently verified to be at least 30% more energy-efficient than homes that were built according to the 1993 national Model Energy Code. (ENERGY STAR is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency.) Here are some of the differences you will find in an ENERGY STAR qualified home:

·         building envelope upgrades

·         high performance windows

·         controlled air infiltration

·         upgraded heating and air conditioning systems

·         tight duct systems

·         upgraded water-heating equipment

 If the Home is not Energy Star qualified there are still things that you can do to investigate the energy efficiency of a home. Determining the energy efficiency of a home can be difficult, but it is possible. Here are some tips for consideration:

1.      Ask the seller for copies of the monthly utility bills, low utility costs could represent an energy efficient home. However they could also reflect an infrequent use of the heating cooling system.

2.      You could also gather information on the furnace and air conditioner for any house that you may purchase. For air conditioning you will want to know the seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER) and for gas furnaces you are interested in the Annual Fuel Utilization Ratio (AFUE). The rating for a SEER ranges from 10-17, the higher number using the least amount of energy. The AFUE ratings are more straight forward ranging from 75% to 97%, again the higher number being the most efficient.

3.       Ask your agent or the seller the age of the HVAC. If the equipment is 10-15 years old with a SEER of 8 or less, the time may be approaching to replace the system. Inspect the insulation in the attic. Insulation coverage should be continuous and thick enough to cover all the studs.

4.      Check the water heater to see if it has an ENERGY STAR label.  According to the Buildings Energy Data Book, heating water accounts for 17% of on-site residential energy consumption. The five water heating technologies that are eligible to use the ENERGY STAR label offer energy savings from 7% to 55%, depending on the technology used. 

For more information go to www.energystar.gov.