Yes, it is possible to completely overhaul your home for increased energy efficiency by hiring contractors and taking days to finish the process. However, not every energy efficiency project has to be a huge time investment. These easy DIY energy-saving projects will take you just hours to complete, leaving you with plenty of time to kick back and reap the benefits.
- Install door sweeps: To ensure that your doors form an airtight seal against the floor when shut, it can be helpful to install door sweeps. This will keep heat from escaping under drafty doors.
- Insulate your windows with bubble wrap: Spraying your windows with a thin mist of water will allow you to easily apply bubble wrap to the surface, reducing heat loss through the glass. This may make it difficult to see through the windows, but still allows just as much sunlight through.
- Put a blanket on your water heater: To reduce your water heating costs by 4 to 9 percent immediately, simply cover your water heater with a water heater blanket or jacket (available at most hardware stores). This will reduce standby heat loss, which occurs when hot water sits in an under-insulated water heater while waiting to be used in the house.
- Seal heating ducts: A surprising amount of energy is wasted by heat escaping your heating ducts through leaky joints or lack of insulation. Seal all the exposed duct joints you can find with duct mastic to prevent hot air from escaping. This should only take a few hours, but will bring you a substantial chunk of savings over the course of a few years.
To learn more about the energy efficiency possibilities for your own home, schedule an energy audit with Alban Inspections today.