Raise and lower your shades throughout the day to control how the sun's light heats and cools a room.
By Dale Sullivan
Your home may be your castle, but you shouldn't have to be as rich as King Midas to cover its utility costs. Here are some easy ways to improve your home's insulation and make it more energy efficient.
- Pull the shades or drapes down at dusk to insulate between the window and the shade. In the morning, put the shades up to bring in the warmth of the sun into your home.
- Windows and doors are weak points in any building shell. They have lower R-values (resistance to heat) and conduct much more heat than walls or ceilings.
- Windows and doors also leak air, which causes uncomfortable drafts.
- Windows may be single-, double-, or triple-glazed with either one, two or three panes of glass and/or plastic with air spaces in between each layer. The more layers of glass (glazing), the higher the insulating value of the window.
- Storm windows provide an extra layer of glass or plastic that traps air to create a dead air space for an insulating effect. Both exterior and interior storm windows are available.
- Interior storm windows are usually more airtight than exterior storm windows. The most efficient, least expensive and easiest of all storm windows to install is the plastic film held to the interior window trim by double-sided tape. Extend the plastic around the wood trim to minimize the chance of leakage around the whole window. Plastic is cheap, and the method used to install is via a hair dryer. (Scissors are used to cut the adhesive tape and to trim excess plastic from the window.)
- Use clear caulk around windows to stop drafts. This caulk is placed around the window in the fall and removed in the spring when the weather warms up. It is especially designed to easily be removed by peeling it off.
- Keep draperies closed to improve indoor comfort by stopping drafts. Also, close drapes during the hot summer months to prevent the sun from shining in and heating the indoors.
- Purchase weather stripping at a local hardware supply store. Install as directed. This can be used for either windows or doors.
- Replacing a door should be at the end of your energy-saving priorities list, because replacement costs are high, and the affected area is small. Chances are the door you have is just fine. It may just need a few adjustments. Check the door latch and strike plate. Adjusting the snugness with which the door is held against its frame, and weather stripping may create a more complete seal.
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