If you’re looking for ways to save energy, you may not realize that you can get big results by taking small actions that improve your home’s energy efficiency. Here are three such actions that can bring you long-term savings:
Have Your Attic Inspected
Issues in your unconditioned attic can directly affect how much energy it takes to maintain comfort in your home’s finished living areas. You can limit energy waste in the attic by addressing:
- Soggy insulation on your attic floor caused by water entering through leaks in the roof, or condensation formation in the winter. When insulation gets wet, its R-value can decline substantially and make it ineffective. When you find wet insulation in your attic, it should be removed and replaced. If you suspect it’s due to roof leaks, have a Kansas City roofing professional perform an inspection and make any necessary repairs promptly.
- Sources of air leakage around the attic access panel, floor perimeter, knee walls and drop ceilings, along with all electrical, lighting, plumbing, heating/cooling and structural elements that pass through the floor from the level below. To save energy and help alleviate wintertime condensation problems, you should identify and seal any attic air leaks with expandable spray foam or caulk, and weatherstrip/insulate the access hatch, too.
Weatherize Your Home’s Exterior
Gaps and holes in your home’s exterior shell, cracked/missing caulking around your windows, and deteriorated weatherstripping around your exterior doors can result in significant energy losses. You can curb this waste by evaluating the exterior and sealing trouble spots with either expandable foam, caulk or weatherstripping.
Schedule an Energy Audit
Having a professional energy audit performed is a small investment that can pay big dividends by giving you a guide on effective ways to increase your home’s efficiency. An auditor uses specialized tools, like a blower door test and infrared scan, to find the specific spots in your home where energy is being wasted. Afterwards, you’ll get a detailed inspection report that lists any deficiencies found and recommended corrective actions.
With this in-depth efficiency assessment, you can take care of smaller improvements right away, like weatherizing the exterior or augmenting attic insulation, and then plan and budget for major projects like replacing inefficient windows or upgrading to Energy Star-certified siding or roofing.
For personalized advice on ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency, contact us at Bill West Roofing, your trusted Kansas City roofing experts.
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][su_button url=”https://www.billwestroofing.com/blog/roofing/energy-efficient-homes/”]Read: The Facts about Energy Efficient Homes[/su_button][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]