Many small energy efficiency improvements are inexpensive and help households save money immediately. Here are simple fixes to make your home more comfortable and efficient.
Lighting
Replace old incandescent light bulbs with LED light bulbs to save about 20-30% on your lighting bill. New styles are produced every day, so you should be able to find a bulb to fit even ceiling fan lights or old fixtures with comparable lighting quality.
Seal Air Leaks (You may save 20% on heating and cooling!)
Find the leaks.
On a windy day, feel around doors, windows, outlets. Try using a stick of burning incense or lit candle to pinpoint drafts. Also check ceiling fixtures and recessed lighting for drafts.
Gather your supplies.
You’ll need clean rags, rubbing alcohol, a caulk gun, clear or paintable caulk, liquid spray foam (expanding foam), weather stripping, rigid pink or blue foam, foam gaskets for sockets and light switches, utility scissors or a knife, a screwdriver, and a step ladder.
Seal the leaks, starting in the basement.
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- Repair broken or missing window panes.
- Install rigid foam over openings.
- Seal gaps around vent exhausts with caulk or expandable foam.
- Seal cracks between top of foundation and the ceiling/wall. (Turn off basement lights to see daylight come through.)
- Insulate the cavity formed by the floor joists with fiberglass bat, blanket insulation, rigid board insulation, or expanding foam.
- Use liquid foam insulation to seal large gaps. Trim off excess once dry.
- Clean surface before caulking; use vacuum, wipe down with alcohol.
- Tape heating and cooling ducts using mastic sealant – a paste painted over seams between sections of metal ductwork (ducts are the only thing duct tape does not stick to!)
Walls, Ceilings, and Doors
Use paintable caulk to seal around doors, windows, and baseboard cracks.
Use foam gasket insulators (found at hardware stores) on outlet switches. Be sure to turn off power before removing screws. It’s also a good idea to plug unused sockets with protective child-proof covers.
Recessed Ceiling Lights and Whole House Fans
Replace leaking can lights with air-tight fixtures.
Make an air-tight cover over a whole-house fan with pink rigid board.
Windows
Use self-adhesive vinyl V strip weather-stripping or rope caulk (a removable putty-like cord that comes in a roll). Apply in winter and remove in spring if you want to open the window. (Wipe down windows before applying to ensure caulk forms a good seal.)
Doors
Install weather stripping on top and bottom of door. Remove any old weather stripping and clean surface well, wiping with rubbing alcohol to remove residue. Apply self-adhesive foam strips. Cut foam from roll with scissors and apply to clean, dry surface. Or, install metal V-strips. These are nailed down using tacks and are more durable on doors.
Attic Door
These are often little-used, unsealed, and/or uninsulated. Glue a 2-inch to 4-inch layer of rigid polystyrene foam (pink or blue board) to the back of the door. Apply self-adhesive foam weather stripping along the perimeter.