Think of your house like a human body where all the organs, limbs and muscles work together. The more fit and healthy your body, the more efficiently your body will work. When your house is healthy, it efficiently increases your comfort and saves money on heating costs. Here are six steps to take to evaluate your home as an energy-efficient system.
Step 1 — Air leaks: Weatherstripping and caulking can seal air leaks around doors, windows and various cracks and openings to the outside to prevent warm air from escaping in the winter and entering in the summer.
Step 2 — Ductwork: Leaky and inefficient ducts may account for 15 percent of air leaks in a home, letting your conditioned air to escape outside or into attics and walls. Efficient ductwork delivers air where you need it.
Step 3 — Insulation: Check to make sure you have enough insulation in the right places, especially the attic, the foundation and around ductwork. Insulation prevents heat transfer between inside and outside, easing the workload on your heating and cooling systems.
Step 4 — Windows: Windows are an important factor in viewing your home as an energy-efficient system. Efficient windows insulate a home by blocking more of the sun’s heat in the summer and working as a barrier against the cold in the winter. Windows should also fit well to prevent air leaks.
Step 5 — HVAC maintenance: Heating and cooling systems play a major role in home energy efficiency. A well-maintained system will do its job effectively, converting the majority of its energy into heating or cooling for the home. Energy-efficient systems can reap substantial savings on your energy bills.
Step 6 — Lighting and appliances: You may not usually associate lights and home appliances such as stoves, clothes washers and driers, and dishwashers with home efficiency, but they play an important role in the system since they also consume energy. In warmer months, inefficient lights and appliances add unnecessary heat to your home.
To evaluate your home as an energy-efficient system, please contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning, to learn more about how to save energy and maximize comfort in your Twin Cities area home.
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Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy efficiency evaluations and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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