How to Improve Energy Efficiency in Your Home.

Improve Your Energy Efficiency

Can You Make a Difference?There are a number of simple small DIY projects you can tackle to help your home to retain its air

conditioned air, and keep your energy bill from jumping up to a shocking level is possible when the homes energy efficiency is improved, and you utilize simple techniques to maintain comfort

with minimal energy use.

• Weather stripping – Replacing the weather stripping around the doors, and ensuring the door sweeps make sufficient contact with the threshold to ensure air does not escape.

• Caulking – Caulking air gaps around windows and cutting back on drafts in the home will make a big difference on your inside air. This will cut down on your air conditioned air from escaping, and keep the hot outside air outside where it belongs.

• Insulation – Filling holes with spray insulation, and possible even adding radiant barrier or other insulation in the attic space to help with the homes overall insulation can help make an impact on your homes energy efficiency.

Tools You Will Need• Caulking gun – You will use your caulking gun to caulk around the cracks near windows and seal

the drafts up.

• Caulk – You will need to use some interior caulking with your caulking gun to help close up cracks.

• Spray insulation – I typically use “great stuff” as it is easy to use and rapidly fills holes around plumbing or wiring where air will escape, and also to prevent pests from having easy access to the home.

• Weather stripping – You can pick up a variety of weather stripping at your local hardware store. Be sure you get the proper stripping for your doors, and windows.

• Utility knife – You will need your utility knife to cut your weather stripping to the proper length.

• Tape Measure – You should always use a tape measure to get the correct measurement for your materials like weather stripping.

• Personal protective gear – When using spray insulation, you should wear some latex gloves to keep your skin from contacting the spray insulation, it can be slightly toxic to some with fair skin, but it is incredibly sticky and almost impossible to get off; it is a good idea to wear some gloves you can throw away.

How to Weather Strip Your Windows

1. For weather stripping, be sure to follow the manufactures instruction. Measure your doors and add your weather stripping to replace the old worn stripping.

2. Generally old weather stripping can be pulled off relatively easily. After you remove the old stripping, be sure you double check your measurements and apply the new stripping according to the manufactures instruction. Typically it is peel and stick, or tacked on with a staple gun.

3. Be sure to check your door sweep and adjust it if necessary.

How to Caulk Your Windows

1. For caulking, you need to be sure you use the correct caulking for your homes interior.

2. Apply caulking carefully and precisely, moving in a constant fluid motion to evenly spread the caulking. (If you are not confident in your skill, you can use painters tape to help keep your caulking where you want it).

Other Tips to Practice• Set your thermostat to as many degrees higher that you can and still remain

comfort in the home. Keep in mind when it is hot outside, you should not set your thermostat lower than 20 degrees or so below the temperature outside.

• Also, be sure to regularly change the filters on the unit, and always have an annual inspection done on the central air conditioning unit to keep the unit running efficiently.

• Remember, if you ever find yourself in need of professional assistance with any of your home improvement projects that your friends at Tenlist will always connect you with your trusted local contractors.