Whole House Home Performance is gaining popularity in the home improvement industry, as more and more homeowners search for ways to upgrade their home's’s energy efficiency. It is a systematic approach to home improvement in which a certified professional uses state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and testing to identify the cause of some of the most common household problems that impact energy-efficiency, indoor air quality, and comfort. Following these recommendations can make your home healthier and more comfortable, as well as significantly reduce your monthly utility bills and even increase your home's value.
The following are some of the most frequently identified areas where Whole House Home Performance improvements can make a difference.
Sealing Leaks and Ductwork:
Repairing leaky ducts and sealing drafts can reduce your heating and cooling expense by 30 percent or more. If ducts, windows, and doorways are not sealed properly, all the energy used to heat or cool the air inside your home is wasted.
Sealing ducts with mastic, durable duct tape, or an aerosol sealant, insulating duct work in attics and crawl spaces, and weather-stripping windows and doors will help improve air flow throughout your house.
Adding Insulation:
Inadequate insulation in ceilings, basements, attics, and exterior walls can allow warm air to escape your home in winter and cold air to escape in summer. This forces your home’s heating and cooling systems to work harder than they have to, which increases energy usage and utility costs. In cold regions, insufficient insulation can also lead to ice dams, which clog gutters and cause roof leaks and pipe bursts.
Improving the level of insulation in these areas ensures that both warm and cool temperatures are stabilized throughout your house, making for a more comfortable dwelling that’s more affordable to heat and cool.
Upgrading HVAC Equipment:
Older air conditioners can use 30 to 50 percent more energy than newer models. Replacing an old device with a new machine that has a high energy-efficiency rating can cut your summer cooling costs in half. The same can be said of heating systems.
Before you decide to replace your central air or heat system, be sure to have a professional check the ductwork. If ducts are in disrepair, buying a new system won’t help you save any money; all that energy-efficiency will simply leak out through the cracks and tears.
As well, regular service and annual furnace tune-ups and air conditioning tune-ups are a great way to guarantee that your heating and cooling system stays in fine working order, lasts a long time and continues to perform at peak efficiency levels.
Upgrading Lighting and Appliances:
Lighting and appliances account for about half of the average home’s total energy costs. Perhaps the simplest change you can make is to replace the bulbs in your home with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lighting and to swap older appliances for Energy Star rated models. Dishwashers, refrigerators, washers and dryers, and other major appliances that are more than 10 years old are significantly less efficient than newer models. Furthermore, replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents can drastically reduce your monthly utility bill. And you’ll save even more money because compact fluorescents last 10 times longer than traditional bulbs—you won’t have to change a light bulb for four or five years.
Related Information...
- Home Performance with Energy Star
- USGBC Expert Advocates Whole-House Approach to Home Performance Audits
- The Maryland Home Performance Program
- Pennsylvania's Special Financing Program for Energy Efficiency Home Improvements
- Home Performance with ENERGY STAR in Pennsylvania
- Delmarva Power Offers Customers New Home Energy Savings Program Options
- Horizon Services System Analysis
