Sencon

Stay Cool through Weatherizing

A lot of attention is given to weatherizing homes as winter approaches in order to keep the inside of houses warm and reduce high energy bills, but did you know the benefits of weatherizing your home is just as important in the summer? Scorching temperatures outside a drafty home can translate into an over-worked air conditioning unit that will send electric bills soaring higher than the mercury. To reduce summer utility costs and keep you and your family cool no matter how hot it gets, try the following winterizing tips. 

The first thing every homeowner should do is obtain a home energy assessment to determine where improvements need to be made in their home in order to maximize the house’s energy efficiency. Hot or cold rooms, drafts and reasons for poorly performing a/c units can all be identified through a thorough home energy assessment allowing the homeowner to focus improvements on where they will make the most impact.

Identify where drafts exist—typically around windows, doors, outlets, switches, plumbing fixtures, electrical boxes, light fixtures, attic doors, fireplaces and other locations where there is a potential path to the outside air. A rudimentary way to test for drafts is to hold a lit incense stick next to these potentially leaky areas and see if the smoke stream begins to travel horizontally. However, this method won’t provide the details available that a professionally performed home energy assessment can provide.

Apply caulk and weatherstripping around doors and windows to seal off leaks. This will help improve comfort and reduce bills in both summer and winter.

Caulk or use expanding foam to seal air leaks around areas hidden from sight such as plumbing fixtures, ducts and where wiring penetrates walls, floors and ceilings.

Install rubber gaskets behind outlet and switch plates on exterior walls by applying a small amount of caulk or adhesive on the back of the plate and applying the gasket firmly around the inside edges.

If your home still has single-pane windows, replace them with double-pane windows if it is within your budget. Some of the costs may be tax deductible. If replacing your windows is not an option right now, at least install storm windows. This will double the R-value of your windows in preventing the transfer of hot or cold air.

Have a professional seal all of the ducts that run through crawl spaces and attics. Leaky ducts is a common problem, which allows air conditioned air to seep into areas, such as attics and crawlspaces, that are not necessary to cool.

Your attic should have at least 12 inches of insulation across the floor to achieve optimal insulating performance from your home. If you have less, you need to add more. Make sure exterior walls also are insulated. You may be surprised, but if you live in an older home, the insulation may be woefully inadequate or not even there! Blown insulation is typically the easiest to install in existing walls and attics.

If you’re not sure where to start on the best plan for weatherizing your home, SENCON can help. We are Hampton Roads leading service provider of home performance and sustainable development services. Call us today at 757-498-0100 or fill out our request form by clicking here to find out how we can help you start to “achieve green today.”