Creating a Cleaner, Greener, More Comfortable Home

It’s that time of year and we’ve all recently opened the highest heating bill of the season. I’ve had people tell me that this is the highest bill in years. Whether it’s the highest or not is unimportant; the important factor is that it’s high. The important questions are: What can be done? Could you benefit from additional insulation? What’s the right amount of insulation? Is there insulation in your walls? What about the drafts? All of these are great questions and they do have answers.

  The only way to really know what’s going on in your home is to have an Energy Audit performed. There are a couple types of Energy Audits; there is the basic walk through whereas you’ll have an educated auditor walk through your home and give you educated guesses and then there’s the comprehensive audit where an educated auditor uses sophisticated instruments like the ones recommended by the Department of Energy, local utility companies and the EPA. These instruments include blower doors, infrared cameras, and laser thermometers. With the use of these instruments it’s like the auditor has X-ray vision and can see hot and cold spots invisible to the naked eye such as drafts and inadequate insulation. He or she will be able to tell exactly where your wasting energy and what you can do to remedy the situation.

  Here’s the best part, DTE/Michcon customers can get a rebate of $100 just to have the Energy Audit performed in there homes. There is an additional $100 rebate if eligible energy improvements are made. There is also up to $1500 in rebates for eligible energy improvements. That’s up to $1700 from DTE/Michcon for making your home more energy efficient. Don’t forget about the federal energy tax credits either, there’s another $1500 that can be put to good use and help you save money on energy costs. Visit the DTE website www.yourenergysavings.com to find a list of certified energy auditors. Keep in mind that your auditor must be certified in order for you to qualify for the rebates.

  By having a Comprehensive Energy Audit performed at your home you’ll learn what you can do to save on energy costs and even make your home healthier and more comfortable.

Most of us do laundry every week, and never even think twice about it.  But what you don’t know about your clothes dryer, could hurt you.

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 For those of us with basements, I’m sure I don’t have to explain how important our sumps pumps are. Let one fail just one time and you’ll remember it forever! Here are a couple smart ideas that will help you save money, prevent damage to your property and a whole lot of hassle in the event of a water emergency.

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Energy Scams: Some people are probably most surprised by this last tip. In prior years there wasn’t much need for a tip like this on an energy savings report. However, with all this talk on global warming, energy scams are great ways for some people trick the general public and cash in. In the name of energy savings, you can get ripped off in an ever growing number of ways. Be on alert when dealing with door-to-door salespeople or unsolicited letters or phone callers that promise to save energy and big bucks on your bills.

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Water Heaters: By insulating hot water piping and turning your water heater down 10 degrees you can save up to 5% annually on your hot water heating costs. The average life of a standard hot water heater is 10-15 years depending on many factors such as the water pressure in your house and the quality of the water.

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Air conditioners are another energy hog during the hot summer months. An air conditioner that is over 10 years old could be costing you double the energy costs to operate than that of a new system. Air conditioning efficiency is rated by a S.E.E.R. rating (seasonal energy efficiency ratio). The new standard as of 2005 is 13 however most manufacturers make units with a S.E.E.R rating of 21 or higher in some cases. A standard air conditioner that was installed 15 years ago is probably operating at a S.E.E.R  of between 6 and 8.

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The most common way people heat their homes in Michigan is with a forced air furnace fueled by natural gas. These units typically last between 15 and 20 years and even a bit longer with regular maintenance. The most important issue is safety. With any gas burning appliance you want to protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning, explosions, and fire hazards. It is important to have your furnace inspected and maintained by a licensed professional every year. Not only will you be ensuring your family’s safety but you will also restore the furnace to its peak efficiency.

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Last week I explained the importance of sealing your home from unwanted air infiltration. I pointed out some areas of great concern such as attics, crawl spaces and attached garages. The best practice for air sealing is to first have a professional energy audit performed with a blower door test and infrared camera scan. This is the best method to not only find air leaks but inadequate insulation as well. In attics, it is sometimes necessary to remove the existing insulation and spray foam the areas that air can leak through before putting the insulation back in place or replacing it entirely.

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The EPA states that the air in your home is can be 2 – 5 times more polluted than the outdoor air. When the wind blows, your house is subject to the effects of the wind. The wind creates a positive pressure on the side of your home that it’s hitting directly and at the same time, it’s literally sucking air out of the opposite side.

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