• annual maintenance of the heating and cooling systems (probably at the beginning of either the heating or cooling season) because a clean system runs more efficiently,
• installation (and use) of programmable thermostats,
• closing and locking windows (did you know that an unlocked window is slightly ajar?),
• sealing ductwork with mastic, a rubbery paint (not duct tape despite its name),
• making sure fireplace dampers are closed after every use and considering lock-top dampers for improved energy efficiency (remember, hot air rises so your heat goes up the chimney),
• having ducts cleaned every 10 years so air flow is more balanced,
• installing energy efficient window shades, and
• adding staging and boiler reset controls to your heating system to increase operating efficiency.
   

Of course, the most important and our perennial favorite “low hanging fruit” for improving energy efficiency is professional air sealing (blower door fan-assisted caulking, weather stripping and gaskets), adding high performance attic insulation and insulating (again, with high performance insulation) the rim joists and crawl spaces.  You can read about these in more detail in my article “Can My House Be Too Tight?", by watching our YouTube video “Judy Martin and Green Home Consulting on Existing Homes”   or listening to the podcast of  our recent show on Home Energy Radio. (Also available as a free downloadable podcast from iTunes: Search Home Energy Radio with Joe Novella, click #13 for our November show and #6 for our March show)  Taking these steps can noticeably reduce energy use.  Importantly, there are utility and government financial incentives for this kind of work to help defray the cost.

Hot Water . When it comes to reducing energy used for heating water, the cheapest action step is to turn down the temperature on your hot water heater (110-120 degrees should be sufficient).  This means that the water that comes out of the tap will be hot but not hotter than necessary and it also means that energy will not be wasted keeping the stored water at 140 degrees.  Second, it is worth it to insulate the hot water pipes (with a commercial grade material) to prevent the hot water from cooling on the way to its destination and to prevent the hot water in the pipes from cooling so rapidly after the tap has been turned off.   For a more detailed discussion of hot water heating alternatives, see our newsletter “Getting Into Hot Water”.

Lighting costs can be reduced through changes from incandescent to energy efficient light bulbs. We also recommend savings that can be gained just by reducing the wattages in light fixtures or installing dimmers. If you have a location where the light is often left on by mistake, an occupancy sensor may do the trick. Keep in mind that although lighting efficiencies are a positive step toward energy savings, lighting represents a small portion of our daily energy use.  If your budget is limited, we recommend first tackling the steps mentioned above.
 

Green Home Consulting can show you how to take these and other measures during renovations and new construction to reduce future energy use by 50% or more.   We also advise on energy efficiency in existing homes and multi-family buildings.  We are familiar with the various financial incentives and can help you with those filings.  We look forward to hearing from you!

info@greenhomeswestchester.com

www.greenhomeswestchester.com