Weatherizing your Indianapolis area home to reduce energy usage and maximize savings is something usually considered when winter is approaching. However, maintaining your home’s energy efficiency during the warmer months is just as important when it comes to keeping your family comfortable and saving on utility costs.
In addition to making a serious dent in your utility budget, an inadequately weatherized home can force your air conditioning system to work overtime, putting an expensive and unnecessary strain on the equipment. By taking the time to check your home and follow a few weatherization tips, you’ll be able to increase your comfort level while lowering those expenses.
- Air leaks, especially around windows and doors, can waste up to 30 percent of your total energy costs. Use weatherstripping, caulk or spray foam insulation to seal leaks, with the product choice depending on the type and size of the air leak. Also plan to seal leaks in plumbing penetrations, air duct connections and where electrical wiring enters your home.
- Drafty, poorly hung doors – especially in high-traffic areas – can cause an enormous amount of heat gain in the summer. Replacing worn sweeps and old weatherstripping, and tightening up or replacing the hinges and jams, will greatly minimize the amount of air loss or infiltration. While exterior doors usually cause the most drafts, installing sweeps on interior doors leading to seldom-used rooms will also help.
- Insulate electrical wall outlets and light switches by applying foam sealer to open areas behind the plates. Outside air entering your home through the basement or the attic can reach every room through outlets.
- Hang room-darkening window shades or lined drapes in rooms that get direct sunlight. When drawn, they will cut heat gain from the rooms by several degrees.
- Ceiling, attic or room fans will help your air conditioner by circulating the cooled air more evenly throughout your home, and providing a cooling wind-chill effect for people that the moving air hits.
For more expert weatherization tips for your Indianapolis home or other home comfort questions, please contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. Our experienced and qualified technicians have been proudly serving Indianapolis and the surrounding area for over 40 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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