Typical home improvements

While your Home Performance contractor will develop a specific plan for your home, commonly recommended improvements for an energy-efficient home include:

Sealing air leaks and adding insulation
Many air leaks in homes are fairly obvious, such as around windows, doors, and electrical outlets. But others, like those in attics, around chimneys, and through recessed lighting fixtures, are also significant sources of energy loss in a home. Overall, the total number of air leaks in your home can add up to the equivalent of leaving a door open all winter! Sealing air leaks is critical to improving the overall efficiency of your home and will make your heating and cooling system perform better. It will also make your house less drafty and more comfortable.

Along with air sealing, your contractor may recommend that you add insulation. Many older homes are not well-insulated, and some have no insulation at all. Properly installed insulation in attics, walls, and floors provides for more even temperatures throughout the house and results in a quieter, more comfortable living environment that is easier and less costly to heat and cool.

Sealing and insulating ductwork
Many homes have leaky ductwork and poor air flow, resulting in stuffy or uncomfortable rooms — regardless of the thermostat setting. Your home performance contractor may recommend sealing your home’s ducts with mastic or metal tape, and balancing the duct system to optimize air flow to all rooms. Insulating ductwork in attics, crawlspaces, and some basements can also save money and increase your home’s overall comfort.

Improving heating and cooling systems
If your furnace or air conditioner is more than 10 years old, your contractor may recommend that you replace it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR® label. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency units can help you save on heating and cooling costs. Also, when it comes to heating and cooling equipment, bigger is not always better. A properly-sized unit will make your home more comfortable by providing more consistent temperatures and better humidity control.

Testing combustion equipment
The contractor should also test the combustion equipment in your home, such as your furnace and hot water heater, to ensure that it is operating and venting properly. In addition, the contractor should conduct a carbon monoxide test reading on gas ovens and other areas to further test the safety of your home.
 
Upgrading lighting and appliances
Energy used for lighting and appliances can account for half of your home's total utility bill. As a result, the home performance contractor may recommend ENERGY STAR® qualified products, such as refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, dishwashers, dehumidifiers, room air conditioners, and compact fluorescent light bulbs. An energy efficient hot water heating system may also be recommended.

As part of the Home Performance program, you may be able to dispose of your old refrigerator or room air conditioner free through our environmentally-friendly recycling program.

(10/05/07)