January 2010

No home is completely energy efficient, but some are better than others. Ours is one of the “others.”

We bought a Victorian home built in 1901 that was our dream home in a lot of ways. But, like most older houses, time creates little energy escape routes throughout the structure.

The first challenge is to figure out exactly how inefficient your place is. Though it’s possible to hire firms to perform energy audits, you can also do a pretty good assessment of your strengths and weaknesses on your own.

It’s not as fancy as the infrared cameras the pros use, but a simple hand check test on key areas can point out your greatest sources of heat loss. Many websites, including one called DoItYourself (doityourself.com/scat/homeprep), offer tips on where to start feeling for leaks, including:

• • Electrical outlets
• • Switch plates
• • Window frames
• • Baseboards
• • Weather stripping around door
• • Fireplace dampers
• • Attic hatches
• • Wall- or window-mounted air conditioners.

Knowing your vulnerabilities is a key step to avoiding unnecessary expenditure of time and money. The biggest energy liability in the house—poorly maintained heating and cooling systems—may not give you the same warning signs as a broken window seal or poor insulation. However, these actually account for more unnecessary energy use than anything else. Make sure to change air filters monthly and have a professional check out your systems before you start using them again each season.

Next come the seals. Caulking, Great Stuff® insulating foam and weather stripping are all very cheap materials you can employ to close up cracks of all sizes. For bigger issues like leaky ducts, exposed crawlspaces in attics and basements, a roll or two of insulation is well worth the investment and easy to install.

Of course, heating and cooling are only two of the energy hounds in the house. Old or poorly insulated water heaters and pipes, along with other old and inefficient appliances, may be sapping your home of energy while adding no benefit at all. Though new appliances can be a pricier investment, make it count by checking on efficiency ratings when you do have to make a purchase.

Another cheap fix is to buy a handful of power strips. Many electronics suck up power even when they’re turned off, but going around and unplugging everything from behind cabinets and entertainment centers after each use is a headache. By plugging everything into a power strip with an on/off switch, you can power down hibernating gadgets and eliminate their round-the-clock toll on your meter.

Last but not least is the now ubiquitous CFC light bulb. Replacing traditional bulbs with compact fluorescents could chop as much as 30 percent off your utility bill. They cost more than regular incandescent bulbs, but they also last several years—many times longer than an incandescent bulb, saving you cash over the long term. A word of warning, though: CFCs do contain a trace of mercury, which means these bulbs need to be properly recycled once they do finally burn out.

There are plenty of other energy-saving strategies, from the simple to the exorbitant. But by implementing a handful of affordable steps like the ones noted above, you can change your family’s energy footprint literally overnight.