A home’s points of entry can become a fast exit for energy and finish up costing a good sum on household bills. To preclude being scammed by windows, doors and the garage, home energy gurus suggest making one or two straightforward alterations.
Seal The Envelope Before Sending the Bill
Homeowners should seal windows and doors “like an envelope” -or otherwise risk air-conditioning the whole neighborhood. In truth, it’s guessed a full fifty p.c of yearly application costs come from homes’ cooling and heating systems. To test that doors and windows are not drafty, look for light under or round the door and condensation round the windowpane, which is a sign of cooling loss. Also, check the attic to be sure it’s correctly insulated and not letting air escape.
Quick Tips:
1 Install thick, sturdy weather-stripping under your garage door to reduce this common energy leak. Polyurethane insulation or fiberglass channel wrap are both good options.
2 Weather-strip and caulk all cracks between the wall and the window trim. Replace broken glass and putty any loose window- panes to help secure the windows for harsh wind.
3 An cheap solution to drafty windows is the Shrink & Seal Window Kit, available at Lowe’s stores and lowes.com. It fits standard windows and is installed with a hair dryer that literally shrinks and seals a clear as crystal film over the window.
4 Upgrade that old refrigerator to the only ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerator engineered specifically for the garage: Gladiator GarageWorks’ Chillerator, by Whirlpool Corporation. It’s 15 percent more energy efficient than current federal energy standards, saving an average of $487 in energy costs over its lifespan.
“One of the most simple methods to save on resources is to make smart appliance upgrade decisions,” announced Richard Karney, Chief of Energy Star at the Dept of Energy ( DOE ). “Most people can’t imagine the energy drain related to older appliances.” ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances are a part of a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) and DOE to help purchasers save cash and the environment.
According to a survey by Whirlpool, 42 percent of Americans have an old refrigerator in the garage. Studies show that a 10- to 15-year-old refrigerator costs an average of $82 more a year in utilities compared to an ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerator purchased today.
That is what I can tell you about Kits of Solar Energy, there is more in-depth knowledge at House Of Solar Power.
Evans D. Smith
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