Heating Costs: What Everyone Should Know

As winter approaches, home owners often consider adding insulation
to their homes. They might have had problems with ice dams last year,
know their basement is drafty or heard their neighbors are paying
significantly less to heat a house roughly the same size as their home.

Most home owners know insulation slows heat transfer. What most home owners do not fully understand is heating a home requires a balanced solution involving insulation and ventilation. Heating efficiency is also improved when common air leaks are addressed to reduce the amount of cold air enter the home.

Key Components of an Effective Heating Strategy:

• SEALING houses to minimize cold air being drawn into the house (blue arrows in diagram)
• Installing the appropriate amount of INSULATION to reduce the loss of warm air (red arrows in diagram)
• Providing adequate VENTILATION to enable warm
  air that does escape into the attic from remaining there where it can
  cause problems such as ice dams or the growth of mold / mildew due to
  excessive moisture.

When evaluating which heating (or cooling where the reverse
situation exists) projects to tackle, home owners should consider how
quickly their investment will be paid back versus the up front cost to
make home improvements.

Ways to Reduce Heating Costs
Here are some of the most cost effective ways to save on heating costs this winter, and for years to come:

• Install programmable thermostats to automatically lower and raise the temperature of your house, reducing heating and cooling costs.
• Seal cooling and heating ducts with duct wrap or mastic sealant to save up to 25%.
• Insulate hot water heater and pipes carrying hot water, to save 4 to 9%
  in water heating costs, and cut CO2 emissions. Check for heat loss (if
  warm to the touch, it needs more insulation) and you may be able to save another 25 to 40%.
• Install ceiling fan(s) to reduce air conditioning costs by 40%
  in the summer. In the winter, fans can circulate warm air that rises to
  the ceiling, back down to the floor to save heating costs.
• Seal small, overlooked energy leaks around the house including:
  • Add caulk, foam strips or weatherstripping around windows/doors. Learn about adhesives/caulking free of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) at Healthy Home Plans.com
  • Install foam gaskets behind light switches and outlets if you hold a wet hand in front of the switch and feel air.
• Bring insulation up to “optimal” building standards.
  Building standards are raised periodically. Some builders meet
  standards that make housing affordable to buy, yet more expensive to
  heat.
  • For more details (20+ pages), read the Department of Energy Insulation Fact Sheet
• Replace old windows with energy efficient, dual pane windows. If this won’t fit your budget, the window insulator kits or self-stick foam might be good temporary solutions.
  • Replacement windows place in the Top 10 Remodeling Projects every year, returning more than 80% of their cost when you sell your home.
• Install shades, drapes or awnings to block light on hot, sunny days, and reduce cooling costs. In winter drapes can help retain warm air.
• Install reflective film on windows to reduce air
  conditioning bills and eliminate upholstery fading by blocking UV rays.
  Learn about the many options that exist for residential homes at Visions Window Tinting.
• Insulate hot water pipes to reduce heat loss, and to set water temperature at a lower setting.
  • Hot water recirculation systems
    can speed up delivery of hot water and reduce the amount of wasted
    water that goes down the drain while you wait for the desired
    temperature.
• Keep fireplace dampers closed whenever your fireplace is not in use.

There thousands of pages of information on the web related to
sealing, insulation and ventilation for your home. Some of the best
information reviewed in preparing this article came from the following
web sites:

• U.S. Department of Energy’s Insulation Fact Sheet
• U.S. Department of Energy’s Tips on Saving Energy & Money at Home
• North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) which offers home owners a wide range of booklets at no cost
• Simply Insulate is a great web site to help you learn about Federal Tax Incentives available for energy saving improvements to your home.

Tina
Gleisner, President of My Handyman of Southern NH, publishes Handyman
News, and a new blog Nuts & Bolts. She is passionate about helping women learn more about their homes, and how easy they can enjoy their homes more by maintaining and improving this valuable asset. Tina is also the founder of 4 Walls 1 Roof, a network of peer home professionals. Copyright ©
2008 by 4 Walls 1 Roof LLC.