Category Archives: Winter Home Improvement

Winter Energy Conservation Tips

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Winter Energy Conservation Tips

Use less energy without sacrificing comfort with these six winter energy conservation tips.

Change Your Filter Regularly

The changing season – from fall to winter – is the perfect time to change the filter in your HVAC unit. This easy, cost-effective task allows your heating system to operate more efficiently, ensuring better distribution of heat. You should check and change your filter once a month; HEPA filters every few months.

Reverse Those Ceiling Fans

During winter, switch the direction that your ceiling fan blades turn, so that cooler air is drawn upwards and warmer air pushed down into your living spaces. This allows you to turn the temperature down and still stay warm. There is generally a small switch on the fan that allows you to reverse the blade’s direction. Remember, clockwise in winter, and counterclockwise in summer.

Turn Down the Thermostat

When you’re home and awake, set your thermostat as low as is comfortable, dressing for warmth. When you’re asleep or out of the house, turn your thermostat back 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day, and save up-to 10 percent a year on heating/cooling costs. Smart or programmable thermostats can adjust the temperature for you.

Insulate Your Attic

To maintain comfort, heat loss must be mitigated in the winter by ensuring an effective resistance to the flow of heat, which is something insulating materials do quite well. Plug your zip code into the U.S. Department of Energy’s Home Energy Saver tool to find insulation recommendations tailored to your specific zone and home.

Replace Worn Weatherstripping

Worn weatherstripping around doors and windows creates drafts, letting cold air in, and heated air out. Caulking and weatherstripping – found at your local home improvement store – are two cost-effective ways to cut heating/cooling costs and increase occupant comfort. Before air sealing, you should schedule an energy audit.

Schedule a Home Energy Audit

An energy audit can help you determine where your house is losing energy and money.  A professional technician – often called an energy auditor – will check for leaks, examine insulation, inspect your heating system, perform a blower door test, and more using an infrared camera. The technician will then recommend low-cost improvements to save energy, such as increasing your insulation or sealing air leaks.

Use LED Holiday Lights

Incandescent holiday lights are terribly inefficient, and despite careful storage, often emerge damaged. LEDs, while a little more expensive, are a much better option. They use up to 75% less energy and last 25 times longer. Because they also produce very little heat, they are much safer to use for both indoor and outdoor lighting. Additionally, during the biggest holiday shopping weekend – Thanksgiving through Black Friday – many retailers sell LEDs for a fraction of the cost, making them very affordable.

Winter Energy Saving Tips

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energy saving tips

Save money this winter with these energy saving tips.

Upgrade to LED

LEDs are extremely energy efficient, consuming 90% less power than incandescent bulbs, and lasting 50,000 times longer. Although LEDs have a higher initial cost than more traditional lightbulbs, like incandescent and compact fluorescent, the cost is quickly recouped over time in lower electricity costs. LEDs are also made from non-toxic materials, generate virtually no heat, and are 100% recyclable.

Invest in insulation

Hundreds of dollars in energy costs are lost each year due to escaping heat and cold in homes without proper attic insulation. With added insulation your home becomes much more energy efficient. This will reduce the costs associated with heating and cooling your home. Other benefits of insulating your home include increasing sound control, regulating the temperature, and making your living environment more enjoyable.

Keep your air filters clean

When is the last time you changed your air filters? Changing air filters is critical to the proper performance of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, not to mention your home’s indoor air quality, as well as lowering your monthly heating and cooling bills. ENERGY STAR recommends changing air filters every month or every three months if you invest in HEPA quality filters.

Install a programmable thermostat

A programmable thermostat helps you save energy and reduce your carbon footprint, therefore helping the environment, by automating your home’s temperatures without sacrificing your comfort. When programming your thermostat, consider when you normally go to sleep and wake up, as well as the work/school schedules of everyone in the household. This will provide you with the most savings.

Adjust the thermostat at night

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save up to 10 percent per year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat down 7 to 10 degrees when you are asleep or away from home. During the winter, they recommend setting the thermostat to 68˚F, and during the summer to 78˚F when you’re awake and need heating or cooling.

Use ceiling fans to your advantage

Good ventilation and airflow equal increased energy savings. If your home has ceiling fans, table fans, floor fans or any combination of these, you have more control over ventilation than you may realize. Setting your fan’s blades to move counter-clockwise will push hot air up in the summer, and setting them clockwise will trap heat inside the rooms where they are, keeping them warmer during the winter.

Home Insulation Benefits

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home insulation benefits

A kaleidoscope of colors can be found right outside your door. Pumpkin flavored coffee, scones, and pies are readily available. Halloween candy and decorations fill the stores. Now that fall is officially here, and winter isn’t too far off, it’s the perfect time to make sure your house is prepared for the cold weather ahead.

One of the most telling signs of a poorly insulated house is when you notice your energy bills are sky high, but your house remains chilly enough to warrant you donning a sweater, and sipping on hot coffee just to stay warm. If this sounds familiar, insulating early on (before winter), is the smart choice.

When you see the home insulation benefits, you’ll wonder why you didn’t add insulation earlier.

You’ll Save Money

You’ll save quite a bit of money on electricity bills by getting a head start on insulating your home. Insulation, done right, makes your home more energy efficient thus lowering your energy consumption – and bills. If you insulate your home early on, you will start saving money the moment you turn the heater on, which is when Jack Frost appears. That will allow you to save more for the holidays.

You’ll Get a Head Start on Home Repairs

When it comes to caring for your home, your car or even yourself, waiting until a problem grows is never a good idea. Getting a head start on the situation will save you some time and money. Insulation is no different. Installing it when the weather is still pleasant will ensure your comfort during the winter months. Insulating in the fall will also save you money on installation costs and, as mentioned previously, electricity bills.

You’ll Soundproof Your Home

One of the most overlooked values of insulation is soundproofing. Adding insulation to the walls and ceiling of offices, home theater rooms, nurseries, and bedrooms is a sound choice. Insulting exterior walls can lessen or eliminate uncontrollable noise from sources such as obnoxious neighbors, traffic, construction, etc. from entering your home and ruining your rest and relaxation.

Ready to get started? Contact Banker Insulation today: (602) 273-1261!

Winter Home Improvement Tips

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winter home improvement tips

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With the Christmas holiday just a few short days away, now’s the time to ensure you’re not spending more than you have to only those monthly winter energy bills, simply by following some of the most common winter home improvement tips which we have kindly listed below.

Tried and True Winter Home Improvement Tips

WRAP IT UP

I don’t mean holiday gifts! Keeping your water hot is full-time job for even the most efficient water heaters. Keep your water toasty warm and reduce some of the expense associated with running your water heater non-stop by insulating it in a cozy insulating blanket. The same principal holds true for your home’s hot water pipes.

SEAL IT UP

Give drafts the boot! Using some top-quality caulking material simply patch up those areas within your home that no longer keep air and moisture out. This typically includes your home’s windows and doors as well as holes around your electrical outlets. As an added bonus it’ll also keep unwanted rodents and other critters from entering your home.

KEEP IT FLOWING

One component that is sure to cause trouble is none other than your plumbing system – especially in those areas prone to freezing temperatures like Flagstaff, Arizona. Avoid freezing pipes and emergency repair costs by allowing some water to flow from your pipes as this will prevent them from bursting due to the pressure associated with standing water.

RUGS ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE

No place is off-limits when placing area rugs all through the house! Besides providing comfort and beauty, areas rugs are the perfect DIY solution for insulating warmth. Available in many different shapes and sizes, you can place areas rugs on virtually any surface including concrete, tile, wood and already carpeted floors.

INSULATE THOSE AREAS OF YOUR HOME LACKING

Make your home warmer, while reducing your winter heating bills, by properly insulating those areas within your home that may be lacking an efficient level of this material. Insulation can be added to your home’s attic, crawl space, garage and basement. If you’re having your home built or remodeled, then you may also want to look into insulating your exterior walls.

From your friends at Banker Insulation!

From your friends at Banker Insulation!