One of the most cost-effective methods to lower your energy consumption and increase your comfort level at home is to properly seal your house’s shell. This includes eliminating drafts and energy loss through the windows, doors, floors and ceiling as well as the walls. EnergyStar.gov estimates that doing this can save homeowners up to 20 percent on their cooling and heating bills.
First, handle any leaks and drafts
You can find many drafts on your own by wetting your hand and placing it near a suspected draft source such as window casings, door jams, electrical outlets or the fireplace. Caulk or fill leaks and you’re well on your way to energy savings. Have your local contractor check inaccessible areas such as crawl spaces. In addition, he should test your furnace, water heater and clothing dryer exhausts to ensure they are still adequately vented.
Insulation 101
The second part of sealing your home against energy waste is insulation. The type of material you choose can be fiberglass batting, blown fiberglass, cellulose, foam board or spray foam. Reflective insulation is also excellent for hot, sunny conditions like we have here in the Yuma area.
The more important choice you must make is based on R-value — resistance to heat flow — of a given product. For the biggest savings, and relatively simple installation, add insulation to your attic. Higher R-values mean more insulating power. For our area, use R30-60 in an uninsulated attic, R25-48 if there is already 3 or 4 inches of material in place. Use R13-19 for floors.
If you’re very handy, you can install these materials on your own, but be certain to wear proper protective gear. Take a look at these pointers and precautions from the DOE. To insure the safest and best installation, contact your local HVAC professional.
Contact the experts at Hansberger Refrigeration & Electric with any questions about insulation. We have 60 years of experience in all aspects of home comfort and are happy to assist you.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Hansberger Refrigeration & Electric Co services the Yuma area in Arizona. To get started, check out our website.
