Saving Money at Home

2009-06-27T07:19:00.001-07:00

Hey guys,

I would really like to apologize for my lack of posts lately. I've been really busy with work lately due to this beautiful Georgia heat. So, for the rest of the summer I am going to be posting on an as needed basis. Which means, I will be checking for questions and suggestions on a daily basis. I hope you are all having a wonderful summer and I look forward to hearing from more of you.

In Christ's Love,

Brandon

Minimizing Energy Loses

2009-06-16T11:15:00.000-07:00

Image by slworking2 via Flickr

Last week I kind of touched on the basis of energy being lost through unsealed windows, well the same can be said for the attic as well. A lot of people think that insulating an attic is the answer to the problem, but in all reality, it is only a part of it.

Insulation, whether it be fiberglass or cellulose, only slows down the airflow between the interior of the house and the attic. If you think about it, insulation is only a barrier created from loose materials. In a way, it is kind of like a jacket worn in the winter-time. It traps just enough body heat to stay warm, but still allows the heat to escape and the cold air in. So by completely sealing off the attic before insulating, you are preventing the lose of your precious air conditioning or heating.

Sealing the Attic

Before you insulate your attic, I would highly recommend sealing all holes and penetrations. This could be anywhere that wires or pipes pass in or out of the main living area into the attic. The most effective sealant that I have come across is "Great Stuff".

Image by phrakt via Flickr

This is a spray foam and can usually be found at your local home improvement store for around $6.00 a can, with one can usually being enough to seal common size holes and penetrations in a 1300 sq.ft home.

What to look for...

1. Cracks inside the attic

2. Wiring running into or out of the living area

3. Plumbing running into the attic

4. Air registers

Trick of the trade.

Once inside the attic turn the light. Look for any light coming from the living area of the house. Using the foam, apply enough to completely seal the opening. For larger openings you may need to seal the opening from the interior of the house by placing a strip of duct tape over it before sealing it from inside the attic. This is to prevent the foam from falling through and ruining the flooring or furniture of the home. Once you have complete sealed the attic, you are then ready to insulate!!!

Get the ball rolling!!!

2009-06-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys, I know that the last tip was kind of random, but I really needed something to get the ball rolling. I'm open for all questions...the more difficult the better I think ;)

Save that energy...saving money starting at home!

2009-06-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

As today's economy becomes more and more unpredictable, we are returning to our roots of pinching those pennies. But all too often, as we are finding ways to cut back our expenses, we neglect one of the main contributors of our spending...our home! During my time as an energy conservation technician, I have learned some valuable tricks of the trade that has helped my wife and I save over 65% on our monthly utility bill.

Now don't get me wrong...just because I was trained in the field of energy conservation doesn't mean that you can't do these renovations yourself. Most of these valuable tips that I will be sharing with you are things that are commonly overlooked and when I tell you you're going to say to yourself "Why didn't I think of that?".

On average the typical annual utility bill for a single family household is approximately $2,200.00, this comes to about $183.00 per month. But keep in mind that this is for a two bedroom, 1150 sq.ft house. Now if you're like the rest of us this is the ideal utility payment. Most of us can double or triple this!!!

Energy Saving Tip #1

The first thing that can do to save that valuable energy is to take care of those inadequate windows.

On any given day as much as 30% of our home's energy can be lost to faulty windows. This could mean that the windows are not properly sealed, not rated for energy efficiency, or just too old.

If you don't want to spend a lot of money having someone come out and replace the windows for you the following are ways that you can bring those faulty windows up to par...

First...caulk those bad boys!!!

1. Scrape off the old, nasty caulk and surrounding paint chips. You can get a caulk scraper at your local hardware store for around $5.

2. Wipe off surface area being caulked with an old cloth.

3. Cut tip of caulking tube at 1/4 inch with a utility knife or the cutting port of the caulking gun.

4. Using the caulking gun, run a small bead, or line, of caulking along the window trim and wall. This can be done inside and out, just make sure that the caulk you are using is rated for indoor/outdoor usage.

5. Next using an edger, or your finger, smooth the caulk out forcing it into the crevice.

6. If needed, go over the bead of caulk again with a linen painters cloth to ensure a smooth professional look.

7. Allow ample time for the caulk to dry before painting. (Usually 24 hours will do.)

This is one step that anyone can do regardless of expertise...just make sure that you get paintable latex-based caulk!!!

Another option would be to replace them with a more energy efficient window. If you have experience with this type of thing, you can do it yourself for as little as $200 per window. But if you ask me, it is well worth having a professional do it for you and the windows usually pay for themselves in a little over a year!