As climate change continues to kick in and temperatures continue to rise, it is more important than ever to weatherize your home. Weatherizing your home is a way to make your home more energy efficient, save money and feel more comfortable.
We already gave the tip about getting a home energy audit, but today we will break down what we mean by weatherizing your home. According to the U.S Department of Energy, the best way to weatherize your home includes air sealing, insulation, moisture control, and ventilation. Check out their website to learn more details about each tactic or see below for a brief summary of each.
Air sealing reduces the amount of air that leaks in and out of your house. Two ways to do this include caulking and weatherstripping. Both give quick returns on your investment. Here is a short video
to explain how to do this.
Insulation reduces heating and cooling costs and makes your home more comfortable in warm or cold weather. Most insulation materials work by slowing conductive heat flow. To learn how to do this, check out this video.
Moisture control is another way to improve the effectiveness of your air sealing and insulation. Another bonus factor is it will help to prevent mold growth. And finally, ventilation helps improve air quality within your home and will again help prevent mold growth.
Do you rent and don’t want to spend too much making investments on someone else’s property? Perhaps this Door Draft Stopper is a good economical option. Or check out these no drill blinds to help keep your space cool during warm months.*
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save an average of 15% of your heating and cooling costs. It can also save an average of 1,120 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. Saving 2,820 pounds of carbon dioxide is like saving 144 gallons of gas!
Consider creating a strategic plan to weatherize your home to help the planet, save money, and live more comfortably. And stay tuned for our home improvement tip next week that will take this to the next level.
*7th Generation Advisors is not affiliated with either of these products and is suggesting them based on collective reviews from others.
Ready to take action?
|