When thinking about caring for your home, it's sometimes easy to get sidetracked by less beneficial things and ignore more important matters. For example, you may feel the appearance is the most important thing and we all want to live in a good looking home. Sometime however you need to look at practical issues like how well our home's exterior is protecting you from the cold winter weather. If nothing else your energy bills can put you looking for energy saving exteriors.
Did you know the U.S. Department of Energy says drafts can waste between 5 to 30% of your energy? Not only that but your doors and windows account for a lot of those drafts and heat loss. So let's look at your doors and windows and some ways of tightening them up and making them more efficient.
1. Install Storm Doors and Windows:
Simple installing a storm door can increase that doors energy efficiency dramatically. They do this by stopping drafts and by reducing air flow. Make sure you look for Energy Star-certified models. Not only that but, storm doors also provide flexibility for letting light and ventilation into your home.
Storm windows can also make a big difference during the cold weather seasons. It is a pain I know to get them out and install them each year. If you have aluminum self storing windows check them and make sure they are closed. They won't do you much good if you leave them in the up position by mistake!
2. Use plastic window insulation kits:
Plastic window insulation kits are plastic film that you fasten over your windows during the winter to stop drafts. For very little money you can pick up some of these window insulation kits at any local hardware store. You won't even know they are there as the plastic is in essence invisible. Adding this extra buffer against drafts will also add an extra still air space and give your home a boost in its ability to retain heat.
3. Use Caulking and Weather stripping:
Simple air leaks can reduce your homes energy efficiency by 5 to 30% a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Which means it really does pay to seal up any gaps with caulking and weather stripping. Use a lit incense stick and move it around your windows and doors and along the exterior walls of your house; where the smoke moves sideways you have found an air leak and a place where your heat and cooling can sneak out. By sealing these air leaks with caulking and weather stripping you will save yourself energy.
4. Install new energy efficient windows and doors:
A more aggressive and expensive way of dealing with out inefficient windows and doors is to simply replace them with the modern high efficiency ones that are available today. With the rapidly rising costs of energy this investment (though significant up front) will pay for itself before you know it. If you look at it that way it is more of an investment than an expense.
Naturally, there are many different ways in which you can save energy around your home. Sometimes though people only think about what they can do inside their home when it come to saving energy. When you are thinking wanting to save energy though you really need to think of both the inside as well as the outside of your home. That is why we are talking about energy saving exteriors.
