2. SEAL AIR LEAKS
(My suggestion)
Air-sealing can be a do-it-yourself operation for small jobs like caulking and weather-stripping windows or spray-foaming holes around pipes and wires leading from the basement to the outside or to the first floor. Use an experienced contractor to seal up the big holes around chimneys and plumbing vents that move conditioned air from your house to your attic and outside. You really want to find the big holes at the top of the building first (between top floor and attic), then at the bottom (basement), then everything in between. Check your range and microwave vents and their chases (surrounding framing boxes) for air leaks. An energy auditor will check for leaks with a “blower door.” This test is generally performed before and after improvements so that air leakage can be measured and savings quantified. Air leakage can account for as much as 50 percent of an older home’s heating energy consumption, and is generally a relatively low-cost improvement. Expect to spend under $2,000 for professional air-sealing work when performed in addition to insulation work.
3. INSULATE
(Thanks again to Paul Czaplicki, Connecticut Chapter)
New home or old, there’s no such thing as too much insulation. Insulating materials are cheaper than the labor to install them, so put in as much as will fit. Installation quality is of utmost importance. Poorly installed insulation can under-perform by 50 percent of its rated value–or more! Be sure to air-seal before adding insulation.
There are many different kinds of insulation on the market today. They fall into two general categories: foams and fibers. The foam that comes in a small can is also available in large, two-part packages to spray-foam an entire basement. Fibers are generally fiberglass and cellulose, but also include wool and recycled denim. You can install foams and fibers if you’re willing to get dirty and sweaty, but proper installation techniques must be used for maximum effectiveness.
4. USE A CLOTHESLINE
(Thanks to Vicky Diadiuk, Boston Chapter)
Drying clothes in an electric dryer can use 3 or 4 kilowatt-hours of electricity for each load, and that can really add up over a year. In addition, all the lint you pull out of the lint trap is evidence of your clothes deteriorating; a clothesline will help your clothes last longer.
Shrink your carbon footprint. Photo by Christopher Percy Collier.
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