A home's points of entry can become a fast exit for energy and finish up costing a tidy sum on power and water bills. To circumvent being shortchanged by windows, doors and the garage, home energy mavens endorse 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 reality, it's guessed a full 50 % of yearly use costs result 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 suggestion 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 damaged 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 fridge to the sole ENERGY STAR-qualified fridge built in particular for the garage : Gladiator GarageWorks' Chillerator, by Whirlpool Firm . It's fifteen p.c more energy efficient than current Fed. energy standards, saving a mean of $487 in energy costs over its lifespan.
"One of the simplest ways to save on utilities is to make wise appliance upgrade decisions," said Richard Karney, Manager of Energy Star at the Department of Energy (DOE). "Most people cannot imagine the energy drain associated with older appliances." ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances are part of a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DOE to help consumers save money 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.
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 reality, it's guessed a full 50 % of yearly use costs result 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 suggestion 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 damaged 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 fridge to the sole ENERGY STAR-qualified fridge built in particular for the garage : Gladiator GarageWorks' Chillerator, by Whirlpool Firm . It's fifteen p.c more energy efficient than current Fed. energy standards, saving a mean of $487 in energy costs over its lifespan.
"One of the simplest ways to save on utilities is to make wise appliance upgrade decisions," said Richard Karney, Manager of Energy Star at the Department of Energy (DOE). "Most people cannot imagine the energy drain associated with older appliances." ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances are part of a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DOE to help consumers save money 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.
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