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MYTH: Setting your thermostat back during the day doesn’t save money because your heating system has to work so hard when you get home to warm the house back up (or cool it down).
RULE OF THUMB: Depending on the climate where you live and the efficiency of your home, including levels of insulation, you should be able to set your thermostat back several degrees for 8 hours a day which will reduce the number of times your heating or cooling system needs to cycle on during the day – and that saves significant energy. It’s true that when you come home and turn up your thermostat, your heating or cooling system will run for a longer period of time to get your home up to its optimal temperature. But you’ll still have saved more energy (and money) over the 8 hours your system worked less intensely – so go ahead and set your thermostat back.
Recommendation: Turn your thermostat back several degrees every night and when you leave home. Better yet – install a programmable thermostat. It will remember to turn the thermostat up and down based on your schedule, so you never have to remember. This can save you about $100 each year.
MYTH: Replacing your old windows is the most cost-effective energy improvement you can make to reduce your home energy bills.
RULE OF THUMB: Replacing windows is not the most cost-effective way to reduce your energy bills. The actual amount of your savings depends on how leaky your old windows are, how many windows your older home has, how tight and well-insulated your home is, and how efficiently the heating system operates. The biggest benefits from replacing windows are improved comfort, aesthetics, and added resale value.
Recommendation: If you’re planning to replace your windows, make sure you get ENERGY STAR® windows. This small incremental increase in cost will pay you back in lower energy bills, as ENERGY STAR rated windows are significantly more energy efficient than windows without the ENERGY STAR® label.
MYTH: Basements and crawlspaces don’t need to be insulated, since they are primarily below grade and we don’t live in them.
FACT: According to the Department of Energy, an uninsulated foundation can result in a large heat loss from an otherwise tightly sealed, well-insulated home. It can also make rooms below grade uncomfortable. Foundation insulation can result in lower heating requirements and may help avoid water vapor condensation problems. However, a poorly designed foundation insulation system can cause many problems such as radon infiltration, moisture problems, and insect infestation. Learn more.
For more information on insulating a crawl space, click here.
MYTH: Tightening up ductwork doesn’t save energy because the ducts are normally located inside the house, so any air that leaks out will leak into the house anyway.
Results
are already adding up. In 2004 alone, Americans, with
the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy to power
24 million homes and avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent
to those from 20 million cars – all while saving $10 billion.
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FACT: In homes that have a forced air furnace, sealing leaky ducts will put heat where you want it, making you feel more comfortable quickly when the heating or cooling kicks in. Sealing ductwork also will balance the system so it operates more efficiently and more safely. Fixing ductwork problems pays multiple dividends. When sealing ductwork in places that are accessible, using mastic (a gooey grey substance that is put on ductwork joints with a paint brush) rather than duct tape (which often starts to come off within a year), is your best bet. |
| ENERGY STAR® is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. |