Winterizing Your Home-PLR

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Professional Home Energy Audits Professionals that conduct home energy audits are very detailed. They are supposed to examine each room of your home. They should also take a look of some of your utility bills from the past. The auditor will conduct a blower door test and a thermographic scan. This kind of scan uses a special infrared camera that can detect hot spots in your home. They are usually combined with a blower door test. With this test, if there is an air leak, it will show up as a black streak in the viewing area of the camera. You should list existing problems with your home that are related to your home not being energy efficient. The auditor will look at the energy bill to determine what he needs to focus on as they are conducting the audit. The auditor will look at the outside of your home to see how big or small it is. They will also need to know if anyone stays home during the day and how many people live in the home. The auditor will also need to know if every room in the house is being used
. You will need to let the auditor know what the average temperature is that you set for the winter season. They may use other equipment to determine where the loss of energy is coming from in your home. From your answers, the auditor will be able to help you find ways that you can cut back on your energy costs to save money. As they continue looking around, accompany them and don't be afraid to ask questions. After all, this is your house and you do want to save money during the winter months. If you need to find a home energy auditor, check with your state or local government agency. They may be able to refer you to someone who is reputable. Check with your utility company to see if they can recommend someone. The utility companies also have people who can conduct home energy audits. Before you make a decision on an auditor, get some references and make sure they pan out. Ask about the auditor's work. Contact the Better Business Bureau to see if they have any complaints against them.

Air Leaks
If you find any air leaks (drafts), note them on your list. You can save up to 30% or possibly more per year once you get those taken care of. Look for things such as baseboard gaps, gaps at the edge of the floor, gaps in walls and ceilings. Check those areas to see if you feel air coming through. You would be amazed at the items you may find that need repairing. Other places where you should check for drafts include: · · · · · · · · Window frames Electrical outlets Doors that have weather stripping Attic hatches Fireplace dampers Air conditioners that are mounted to a wall or window Pipes and wires Seals in the foundation of the home

If you can rattle windows and doors, there may be a possible air leak. Daylight in a door or window frame can constitute an air leak. Use caulking or weatherstripping to seal up the air leaks. Make sure the storm windows in your home are not broken. If your home has old doors and windows, you will eventually need to replace them with those that are of high-performance and are durable.

Water Heaters
If you have a water heater that is currently set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, you can probably lower it by at least 20 degrees. You will still be able to take advantage of saving energy and money. Have you ever thought about having a tankless water heater installed? The ones with water can be a victim to standby heat loss. Since the water tank is required to have hot water all of the time, it will wait until you are the one that needs it. When you are not using the hot water, there is a cycle with heating up the water and allowing it to cool until it's time to heat it up again. Hot water that is used will cause cold water to come back into the tank. The cold water helps to keep the tank full. As long as the water stays cool, more energy will be used to heat it up. With a tankless water heater, the water will heat up when you need it to. The pipes will heat up when you turn on the hot water at the sink. The water will continue to heat up until you turn it off. Having this kind of heater can be very efficient an
d you won't be wasting water. You will save money in the long run. Even though it is a little more costly to install a tankless water heater, the benefits are even greater. Within a year, you will have made your money back. Plus you will be able to save up to 50% on your water heating bills. Your water heater tank can be insulated using an insulating blanket. Doing this can save a lot of emissions from carbon dioxide fumes. You will also save money by doing this. You should also insulate the pipes. The pipes have to be heated from the hot water prior to having hot water in the tank. The more areas of your water heater that are insulated, the better off you will be. You will have saved money and decreased CO2 emissions.