Health & Fitness
5 Energy Efficiency Misconceptions
A list of the five most common misconceptions home owners have when it comes to making their homes more comfortable and energy efficient.
1. New windows will solve my homes comfort and energy efficiency issues.
New windows are great, add value to your home, and increase efficiency, but rarely come with the 40 percent reduction in energy consumption that is promised and also come with a high price tag. I have many customers that have called after having new windows installed and still have the same problems they started with.
2. A new A/C unit will solve my homes comfort and efficiency issues.
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Again, a newer higher efficiency unit is great. It will add value to your home and lower energy consumption. Unfortunately, there are often other issues that are more pressing than this one and can be achieved for less money. The average homes duct system leaks at a rate of 25 percent which can’t be fixed by new equipment.
3. I just need to add a few extra inches of insulation in the attic.
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While this option is one of the few GOOD ones on this list, it comes with a critical exception. Very few insulation companies offer or even mention air sealing. Air sealing your attic, basement and crawl space is critical to effective insulation. If you do not stop air flow and heat transfer, you greatly reduce the effective R-value of the insulation.
4. Not adding a programmable thermostat or actually programming it.
One of the least expensive yet most effective tools available to homeowners is a programmable thermostat. If you are gone a significant portion of the day, this can provide significant savings on your heating and cooling costs. That is provided you actually program it.
5. The HVAC, insulation or window guy is an expert and has my bet interests at heart.
There are two problems here. First, each guy only looks at what he is selling and does not look at the relationship between all the systems. Second, no matter what they are selling, they will have some marketing tool to prove what they are offering is exactly what you need. That is the No. 1 goal of sales, isn’t it?
So, if your home is suffering from comfort issues or high energy bills, do yourself a favor and have an energy performed on your home. This way you will find out exactly what is causing your issues and won’t waste money on empty promises. As always, “Don’t throw money at your problems, throw knowledge, it’s a lot cheaper”.
